Champ Thomas - Boxing

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Contents

Editor's Preface 1

Introduction by Ned Beaumont 3

Section One
How to Create a Super Boxer

Introduction by Jerry Wright 11

A Letter of Praise From a Student 14

Your Ticket to Success 15

Stance and Footwork 17

The Left Jab 22

The Left Hook 25

Rig ht-Hand Punches 27

Ducking and Countering 29

Blocking and Countering 3]

Aggressive Fighting 33

Defensive Fighting 36

Developing Punching Power 38

Training and Conditioning 41

How to Relax and Go the Distance 45

Strategy — Outthinking Your Adversary 47

Management 50

Seif-Defense 51

Wrap-Up 54

Section Two
Boxing's Stonewall Defense

Introduction 57

The Manly Art of Self-Defense 59

What is Defense? 61

How- to Build Ihc Stonewall 62

The Stonewall Counters 69

It Takes Practice 75

Section Three
How to Train and Condition Boxers

Introduction 77

How to Train and Condition Boxers 79

Training and Conditioning 80

Training and Teaching Yourself 82

What to Eat? 83

Roadwork 84

Gym Work 87

Protect Your Hands 88

How Should I Regulate My Gym Session? 90

Punching the Heavy Bag 93

Calisthenics 94

How to Prevent Cuts 96

Section Four
The Thomas Technique Series

Introduction 99

How to Develop Boxing's Best Stance

(and Take Advantage of All Your Opponents) 101

Various Stances... Good and Bad 104

How to Develop Boxing's Best Footwork

(and Out-Maneuver All Your Opponents) 1 13

Superior Footwork 115

How to Develop Boxing's Best Left Jab

(and Outclass All Your Boxing Opponents) 123

The Best Left Jab 124

How to Develop Boxing's Best Left Hook

land Add a Real "Jawbreaker" to Your Fistic Arsenal) 133

Now 1 Present the Superior Left Hook! 135

How. to Develop Boxing's Best Knockout Punch

I and Crush All Your Ring Opponents) 143

How to Develop Boxing's Superior Strategy and Win 153

Ring Strategy 154

Afterword 165

Editor's Preface

Editor's Preface

When Champ Thomas was nearly sixty, he took on twenty challengers and beat them in
less than fifteen minutes. This wasn't even a Light workout for him, he'd say; in his time he'd
taken on a hundred. After Champ Thomas had defeated the world-famous Bobo Brazil, an
announcer said, 'Thomas has been in the business of destroying athletic opponents for more
than a quarter of a century. He's a master performer, an unbeatable showman, a great
promoter and a superior instructor. He's a champion in all areas of his profession."

Jay C. "Champ" Thomas has been an icon on the American boxing scene for decades. His
books have been a step-by step road map to success for countless boxers, whether they were
beginners, amateurs, professionals or just someone who wanted to know more about boxing
and the art of self-defense.

Champ proved himself to be the most knowledgeable boxing expert in the world. He won
more than twenty local, state, regional, service and professional championships. Over the
years, he gained superstar status in boxing, in training boxers, in managing boxers and as a
promoter. In addition, he gained the same superstar status in wrestling and boombattlc.
winning two world wrestling championships and five world boombattle championships.

Who says Champ is the greatest? Practically everyone. Ring Magazine called him "one of
America's greatest service promoters." The Rocky Mountain News called him "Denver's
Ambassador of Boxing." Famed Gene Tunney said, "Champ Thomas is the equivalent of any
five men I have in my athletic program." in 1949. Mike Jacobs said. "Thomas is the smartest
young fight manager and promoter in America." After wrestling Thomas in 1961. Ezzard
Charles told reporters, "I'm glad I never met Champ in a boxing ring. He'd'\e figured a way
to beat me. He's tops in the use of strategy." Primo Camera called Champ's left jab "...the
fastest and trickiest punch I ever saw." In 1973, an Aztec Publications reporter said,
'Thomas is a greater showman than Gorgeous George or Muhammad Ali. And, after seeing
him lick five men in less than five minutes, I'll take his word that he's the greatest."

Champ himself saw his boxing manuals as a way for aspiring boxers and pros alike; to
become first-rate contenders without spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on personal
trainers or managers that may not deliver ali that they promise. This volume is actually a
compilation of some of Champ's best work, and provides both an overview of what it takes
to win and in-depth instruction in how to do it. What were originally published as individual

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

manuals are presented as sections of this book, sections thai deal with various aspects of
boxing and the art of self-defense. The books are presented essentially as written, complete
with introductions written by admirers and former students. They are also presented in the
chronological order in which they were written and, as such, provide interesting insight to the
careful reader as to how Champ's writing skills, along with the refinement of the 'Thomas
Technique," developed over the years. A brief editor's note precedes each section, providing
an overview of what is about to be read, along with the date of publication.

Have fun with this volume; there's a load of information in here if you follow Champ's
advice and read each section carefully, perhaps more than once. After all, his challenge to us
is to practice excellence. "I've given perfect examples," he writes. "Now it's your job to
surpass the perfection herein."

Wc begin with Section One: How to Create a Super Boxer. This manual was originally
published in 1976, and provides a wealth of information about Champ's views on many
aspects of boxing: stance, footwork, punching, training and diet, among others. Many of
these topics are covered in more depth later in this collection, but this work broke new
ground when it was published. For the first lime, we were given an overview of what became
widely known as the Thomas Technique.

Listen and pay attention, now... Champ is expecting your best!

Introduction

by Ned Beaumont

Introduction

by Ned Beaumont

Champ and Me

I never met Champ Thomas, but I feel as il" I've been acquainted with him for more than
twenty years.

Sometime in the late Seventies, during the dying days of that last era of great
heavyweights, when 'The Greatest" was about to lose to the likes of Leon Spinks, when
Ali's sparring partner. Larry Holmes, was going to win a belt in a classic bout against
muscleman slugger. Ken Norton, before going on to rival Joe Louis' "Bum of the Month"
knockout streak, when the hardest-hitting champions. Frazier and Foreman, had recently
retired and power-punching "near champs," such as Norton. Earnic Shavers, and Ron Lyle,
soldiered on, when the spotlight on the ring was shifting to smaller, speedier, but equally
great boxers in the welterweight division — Palomino, Cuevas, Benitez. Leonard. Duran,
Hcarns (how those names ring in the memory of a boxing fan!) — I walked into a drugstore
in Utica, New York. I always bought The Ring at that store.

Perhaps you remember The Ring as 'The Bible of Boxing." The magazine deserved the
title. It dealt with boxing in all its traditions and details. Unlike the newspaper sports
sections and the big circulation slicks, such as Sports Illustrated, The Ring covered (at least
in small type on the back pages) the four and six-rounders in the sticks, as well as the
championship bouts in Vegas and Atlantic City. And The Ring did not necessarily recognize
the champions of the WBA, WBC. or any other alphabet -so up organization: no, to wear The
Ring belt, a boxer had to beat the previous champion fair and square in the ring.

Advertisements always struck me as another part of the charm of The Ring. Charles Atlas
ads sat side-by-side with addresses of managers and promoters (who all seemed to have their
offices on streets with numbers, instead of names, in New York City), and there were ads
from Everlast and Tuf-Wear for trunks and training wraps, robes and jump ropes, mouth
guards and medicine balls. Sometimes, too, advertisements for books found a place in The
Ring. I saw such an ad for Champ Thomas' books there.

I cannot quite recall which book caught my eye. Maybe it was How to Create a Super
Boxer. Perhaps it was Boxing's Stonewall Defense. It might have been Boxing's Dirty
Tricks. All of the titles sounded so intriguing! All offered the veiled promise of secrets, of a

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

gnosis of violence. I already knew a lot about hand-to-hand mayhem in general, and I knew
even more about boxing in particular. Nevertheless, I searched ceaselessly for more
information about how to fight more effectively, tried-and-true tricks of the fighter's trade,
rather than blather about art and mysticism and Bugs Bunny's Big Book of Buddhism.

Money was tight, however. I failed to send away for any of the manuals.

Eventually, 'The Thomas Technique" slipped from the forefront of my mind. But
somewhere, in the back, I never got over that initial impression that Champ Thomas had
something serious to teach.

Years later, I had completed the text of a book that was to become Championship
Streetfight'mg: Boxing as a Martial Art. I wanted to tack on a final chapter of recommended
reading. Knowing that many readers of "manuals on mayhem" (Bradley J. Steiner's apt
phrase) also collect such. 1 planned to suggest some good books outside of the Loompanics
and Paladin catalogs, books that might be out-of-print and hard-to-find. Over the years, I had
accumulated a few hundred such titles in my personal library; but giving them away as gifts
to students, or losing them when moving, constantly culled that collection.

Still, I needed more titles for my book. So 1 started searching in used bookstores and in
libraries.

That's how 1 rediscovered Champ Thomas.

I found his books in — of all places — a university library.

At first glance, what I found in those books was a full dose of the Standard Stuff one
might find in any how-to-box manual: jabs, straight rights and overhand rights (though a
hell-of-a-lot-more emphasis on the latter than one finds in the usual stand-up style), hooks,
fundamental footwork, typical training advice about the importance of roadwork. The
Standard Stuff...

After a deeper look, I also found Champ Thomas' books advice about boxing such as I'd
never seen before — never read about in the hundreds of boxing books I'd read, not even in
obscure or old-fashioned manuals; never seen taught by any trainer in any gym on two
continents. For example, Champ taught a peculiarly narrow and deep crouch as his "Best
Defense." Then there was the tip about developing a powerful left jab by pushing a car
around with the punch.

Wow!

That's the kind of "secret" stuff that I had expected when, long ago, I'd first seen ads for
Thomas' books in The Ring. Champ delivered.

All of it was illustrated by photos of Champ himself— tough-looking, true, but also kind
of long in the tooth and spidery-looking, too.

1 knew enough about the history of boxing, however, to dismiss neither the man nor his
techniques. Hell, hadn't I seen, with my own eyes, a lean lightweight take apart heavily
muscled heavyweights? Hadn't I learned that older, wiser, more experienced fighters were
usually more than matches for pumped-up kinds who didn't know the nuances of the ring?
Wasn't Bob Fitzsimmons — pretty spidery himself — the hardest hitter of his era? Hadn't
champions from Jim Jeffries to Muhammad Ali demonstrated that the "right" way to box
could be wrong?

So I studied Champ Thomas' system in more detail. I tried some of his techniques myself.
Some worked well; some didn't. I tried them with fighters 1 trained or advised. Some
worked; some didn't.

Introduction

by Ned Beaumont

And that's exactly what I expected, both from my own experience and from Champ's
words. For, if there's one fundamental fact on which Beaumont and Thomas agree, it's this:
Bating techniques must be adapted to fit the INDIVIDUAL fighter.

And so, when I thought I knew a lot about fighting, I found that I still had plenty to learn,
lots to learn from Champ Thomas.

I wrote away to Thomas' publisher. The envelope returned unopened. The address was out
of date, and the publisher was out of business. Bookstores couldn't order Champ's books,
either: they had been out of print for years. Even my connections among used booksellers
couldn't turn up a thing. It seemed 1 was stuck with library copies.

Thus, it was with great happiness that I received word that Loompanics planned to reprint
a compilation of Champ's best booklets — including the Five Killer Punches which I had
recommended in Championship Streetfigluing. My publisher performed a real service for all
fans of fisticuffs by bringing Champ back into print. Of course, when Loompanics
approached me about writing this introduction to another compilation, I was even happier.

Champ and Tradition

It's entirely fitting that I first encountered Champ Thomas through the pages of The Bible
of Boxing. For, in large part, I think, the value of "The Thomas Technique" is due to
Champ's connection to the traditions of the fight game.

The chief tradition to which Champ connects is that of the carnival boxer. But "the
carnival" contains more than just carnivals: it encompasses barroom smokers, unlicensed
"reputation" matches, battle-royales, bare-knuckle crossroads bouts in the Deep South, the
sort of fights you've seen in movies such as Hard Times and Every Which Way But Loose.
Many of the old-timers started their careers in such low-rent bouts. John L. Sullivan, of
course, never stopped fighting them (whiskey will do that to certain men of Celtic
temperament). Jack Johnson learned his defensive skills fending off four or five competitors
at once in battle-royales. Years later, the story goes that Jim Jeffries, before retiring and
growing fat, and knowing that no promoter would back a fight between a white champion
and black challenger, challenged Johnson to a "basement match:" the two would enter the
basement of the bar where they were drinking, and whoever emerged could consider himself
heavyweight champion of the world. Johnson — wisely — declined (Jeffries was an even
better brawler than he was a boxer), and beat Jeff in the ring five years later. Dcmpsey, too,
got his start, and developed his quick knockout ability through impromptu boxing matches
in bars and mining camps.

But those were pros fighting fellow pros. The carnival tradition from which Champ
emerged also included pros taking on "all-comers." Nowadays — when the fool who spills
hot coffee on his lap sues for negligence and wins a quarter-million dollar settlement — it
may be hard to imagine an America in which farm boys, ranch hands, and factory workers
stepped into the ring and tried to knock out (or at least go the distance with) professional
pugilists.

How many shysters would land like flies on shit in A.D. 2000 if a professional boxer
broke the jaw of some rube?

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

That's usually the manner in which carnival fights proceeded, too. The pro sidestepped a
rush or two, maybe jabbed a few times — then dropped the hammer. Pros, even mediocre
pros, arc almost always a match for amateurs. Light-heavy champ Billy Conn said that
beating up street toughs was "like hittin' a girl." Think of the differences, say, between any
"tough man" competition and a pro bout.
Of course, some of those farm boys had hard heads. And pros get lazy.
Therefore, carnival fighters had tricks to take down even the toughest opponents. If a bout
looked as if it might go the three or four round distance, a carny assigned to the rube's
corner would slip a mickey into the tough kid's water bottle between rounds; or, the pro
might slide a knuckle-duster under his glove between rounds. Either trick was certain to
produce a KO. Another favorite involved clinching with the rube, then maneuvering him
towards the back ropes. Those ropes sat flush with a curtain. Behind the curtain, a carny
would whack the hard-head with a blackjack or hammer. The carnival boxer then mimed a
punch, and let the troublemaker collapse for the ten-count.
Just think of what the lawyers could do with that!

No one knows if Champ Thomas ever resorted to knuckle-dusters or saps. I doubt he did.

You see, Champ Thomas (like Bob Fitzsimmons, whom he resembled) could hit.

That's another aspect of the carnival tradition that shows up in all of Thomas' writings:

the primacy of PUNCHING POWER above all other fighting skills. As Champ himself

writes, "Any person, man, woman, or youngster, can develop punching power and become a

knockout artist. A fighter who hasn't learned to punch has cheated himself."

Readers of Championship Streelfighting know that I couldn't agree more. And anyone
who has survived a serious fight knows that striking power surpasses fancy dance and wait-
and-see defensive virtuosity on the street.

Study 'The Thomas Technique" — which includes all the old-style tricks for getting
weight into punches, from the "step over" and follow-through to catching an adversary
coming in — and you'll carry dynamite in either hand.

Knowing that Champ Thomas genuinely knew how to hit, I doubt he exaggerates when he
says that he KOed seven men in a row during carnival competition. Carnival fighters had to
do that — or they didn't eat.

But my guess is that at other times Champ does exaggerate — at least a little. Did he
really stop a riot all by himself? Did he really receive $100-an-hour consulting fees for
training boxers? Did he really push a loaded semi with his left jab?
Who knows? Who cares?

For the fact is that, coming out of the carnival tradition. Champ Thomas was a shameless
self-promoter.

Like Sherlock Holmes, Champ Thomas could say, "I cannot agree with those who rank
modesty among the virtues." Modest men do not watch "The Thrilla in Manila"
heavyweight title fight between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazicr (surely one of the greatest
fights between two of the greatest fighters), and then go on to describe everything that the
boxers did wrong. n

Like John L. Sullivan, Champ could proclaim, "I can lick any sonofabitch in the house!
And, just like The Great John L., Thomas could make good on that boast. Is it bragging if
you can do it?

Introduction
by Ned Beaumont

However Thomas' tone strikes you, keep in mind that the carnival tradition is based on
Ail-American braggadocio, not on Buddhist humility. Maybe that's part of the reason why
'The Thomas Technique" and other boxing skills work in real fights. They work to KO one
rube after another at the county fair; they work to win million-dollar purses for pros in Las
Vegas, and they work in the Filthy business of streetfighting, too.

Me and Champ

Well, I'm not so very humble myself. Perhaps that's why I remain so confident in
introducing you to "The Thomas Technique." You see, Champ Thomas has the good sense
to agree with me on many aspects of hand-to-hand fighting, small and great.

Since I've already mentioned our agreement on the importance of punching power, let's
look at another point of agreement: the utility of boxing — as opposed to many "martial
arts" — as a method of winning barehanded battles on the street.

Champ Thomas was not merely a prizefigher, a carnival boxer, a Navy pugilist, or a
professional wrestler: he was also a warrior. He knew what it was like to right to survive,
and he also knew through experience that no single system of fighting works so well in
survival situations as does good old-fashioned boxing:

Boxing used to be called 'The Manly Art of Self-Defense, " but you seldom hear that term
nowadays. It seems that the people no longer consider boxing (or fist fighting) a method of
defense. That could be because the news media has downgraded boxing and glamorized
karate and other Asian tactics as "the only way to defend." Bu! the fact is... clever boxing
surpasses any other method of self-defense.

My experience showed me the same truth. That's why I wrote Championship
Streetfighting — to make that basic point.

Of course, both Champ and 1 also agree that boxing is nol the only or the complete way to
fight on the street. That's why we both recommend "dirty fighting" techniques as a
supplement to boxing skills. I especially like Champ's suggestion of "the eye ripper" — a
sound technique with one of his typically eye-catching names. 1 also agree strongly with his
advice about using improvised weapons whenever possible. If Champ's recommendation of
a paperback book as a weapon strikes you as another bit of exaggeration, let me attest to the
fact that I once knocked a man cold by hitting with the binding of such a book.

It isn't only on the larger concerns of combat that I often agree with Champ, but also on
the little things. For example, isometrics are an easy, effective means by which to build
fighting strength. Almost all the old-time fighters, wrestlers, and strongmen used them (n.b.
as well as traditional martial artists — who were tough and could hit). But for the better part
of twenty years, I rarely saw isometrics suggested to aspiring fighters. That's why I
mentioned them in both my fisl-fighting (Championship Streetfighting) and grappling (A7//-
As-Catch-Can) books.

And so, I was heartened to read that Champ Thomas recommends isometrics as a way of
building punching power. When Champ pushes against walls, buildings, trees, and other
immovable objects with his punches, he's illustrating an outstanding way to build punching
strength. And when Champ does the same and shoves cars, he's exactly duplicating a

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

-.mining lechnique used by wrestlers and weight lifters forty and fifty years ago to build
"useful" strength for hand-to-hand combat.

Whv not? Champ was a wrestler forty and fifty years ago.

Do' I necessarily agree with everything that Champ preaches in '"The Thomas
Techniques?"

No.

Would I automatically train a boxer in just the way that he suggests?

Of course not.

But that's okay.

No one needs to agree with me. or with Champ, or with Master Hoo Rung Poo to denve
something of practical benefit from the system of unarmed combat any individual teaches.
For the aspect on which 1 agree most strongly with Thomas is the focus on the individuality
of each fighter, and on the necessity of developing an eclectic system of techniques that
allows that fighter the best chance to survive a serious fight. As Bruce Lee said, "Absorb
what is useful." No system, style, or art contains everything for everybody. But 'The
Thomas Technique" presented in How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer has plenty of practical
value for fighters and would-be fighters of all sorts.

Section One

now to Create
A Super Boxer

Introduction by Jerry Wright

I was approaching Salina, Kansas, when the voice on the car radio drew my attention. The an-
nouncer was wrapping up a spot commercial: REMEMBER, THATS TONIGHT. CITY
AUDITORIUM. 8 P.M. THREE WRESTLING MATCHES FEATURING BIG TIME TV
STARS, AND A SPECIAL BOOMBATTLE CHALLENGE FIGHT PITTING CHAMP
THOMAS AGAINST TWENTY LOCAL CHALLENGERS!

"Champ Thomas battling twenty men!" I muttered aloud to myself. "Good God, he must be
crowding sixty!"

I was dead tired and had been looking forward to a good meal, a couple of drinks, and a
comfortable night's rest. But that would have to wait. I glanced at my watch. The scene of the
fight program was sixty or seventy miles distant, but 1 had to make an effort lo go.

I double-parked in front of the motor hotel, confirmed my reservation, grabbed two candy
bars from a vending machine, and gunned my car out of the hotel driveway. It was half past
eight and the program had started, but I was hoping I'd arrive before the show ended and the
performers left town.

As I whizzed down the highway I recalled the first time I saw Champ Thomas. I was a seaman
on a Liberty ship and we were unloading cargo on a makeshift dock at Milne Bay, New Guinea,
in the summer of 1943. During a break in my duties 1 look a walking tour on the muddy naval
base. Dozens of colorful handmade signs advertised the appearance of former heavyweight
boxing champion Gene Tunney. Tunney was billed as guest referee on a fight program scheduled
the following night. Good, 1 thought, we'll still be here and it'll be something to do. I was a
boxing fan and seeing the former champ would be a real treat.

Shipmate Tim and I found seats on a coconut log near the ring. "Wow," Tim said. "Lookit
that ring. It looks as if them trees were planted to be corner posts. They ought a make a movie of
this arena. It's really something to talk about."

I agreed with him. It was a picturesque setting. The ring platform had been built in an area
with four coconut trees spaced just right for ring posts. Coconut logs had been rowed to serve
as seats. But the two thousand sealing capacity was hopelessly inadequate. Approximately ten
thousand people ringed the area. They stood, Ihcy perched in trees, and they roosted on the
roofs of all nearby barrack buildings.

How to Be An Ass- Whipping Boxer

When the announcer enlered Ihe ring to start the program, Tim nudged me and said, "Get a
Bad ot that guy. Wonder where they got him. Looks like a Hollywood character He's wild "

A Navy man sitting new to us didn't like Tim's altitude. "If you goddamned merchant swab-
Dies don t like our show you can damn well get the hell outta here."

"We love it," I said quickly. 'The entire arena is belter than Hollywood could build Thai an-
nouncer has class. He must be a professional actor."

"That's Champ Thomas," the sailor snapped. "He's betler than a professional actor. He's a
sailor He s a boxer. He's the world champion boombatllcr. Two weeks ago he knocked oul TO
men from 16 countries to win the title."
Tim whispered to me: "If he keeps bragging he'll promote the man to God."
"Is Mr. Thomas boxing tonight?" I asked.

"Naw. But he can whup all the guys on Ihe card. He can lick Joe Louis. He beat 106 challeng-
ers boombatthng and he didn't even have to get off the boom to rest. He spars a hundred round,
every day. Last week he stopped a riot all by himself. He just walked past all the guards went
up to them New York bums and lold them to knock it off. They did, too. So don't any of you
wise bastards knock Champ Thomas." "

"We think he's great," I said meekly.

Tunncy didn't referee any of the bouts. Thomas inlroduced him and he made a brief speech
Among other things, Tunncy joked about Thomas' long hair and tailor-made clolhcs Then he
became serious and said, 'There are fifteen million men and women in the service of the United
States. Not one individual, including the generals and admirals, is doing any more than Champ
I nomas is doing for the war effort."

The screaming sailors gave Thomas a standing ovation. When Tim and I were slow to rise Ihe
men near us glared, and we leaped lo our feet and clapped till our hands were sore

Champ Thomas deserved Ihe applause he received thai night. I'm sure thai every person there
was impressed. Thomas radiated class and professionalism. In fact, Ihe boxers and Tunncy were
no more than added attractions.

A couple years later, in Subie Bay, Luzon. I met Thomas. He was athletic director al the

A tongopo Naval base and was promoling weekly boxing shows. His main even. Ihat week was

M f ,°,'7 , Hcav >™S hl Championship of The Orienl." My ship was sailing before Ugh,

night, but I deeded lo meet Champ and tell him how much f enjoyed the Milne Bay perform-

Our skipper had warned us not to stray too far from ihe beaches, because Jap strangers in,
Ksted the area and were still conducing sniping attacks. But. as I considered Thomas one of the
Z a Jap ! bulla " S '' d "" SC ™' ' ™ ,s d « te '"«""l 1° ™uel him. It was worth chanc-

Thomas was in the ring, sparring with a giant black man. He was far superior to the boxer
and it was slnclly a Icacher-studenl match. I wailed until he stepped out of Ihe ring, then I in-
lroduced myself and lold him lhal I had caught Ihe Tunncy show in New Guinea

He ordered Ihe next boxers into a sparring session, then said to me. "New Guinea. That seems
like years ago. I vc been overseas for almosl four years and the Slates seem like a vague mem-
ory Bui ,t 11 be a while before I gel back. I go. work lo do. I want to make the push on Japan "

Ton re doing a grcal job, Champ. I'll never forge! Milne Bay. Tunncy was right You're
really contributing to the war effort."

Section One
> Create A Super Boxer

"We're ail doing our pari." He shrugged his shoulders, barked an order lo his boxers, then
grinned at me- "You guys are doing a good job. Without supplies we couldn't do a thing. Even
the draft dodgers arc contributing. Maybe I'm doing a good job — I try. And I gel my kicks
when a guy like you comes around and tells me that he saw one of my shows several years ago.
Even guys 1 almost killed in boombattle or boxing come up to me and act as if I'm a brother. It
gives me a lot of satisfaction. Hey. You gotla come lo my show Saturday night. It'll be better
than the one in Milne Bay."

I declined (he invitation, explaining that my ship was sailing on Friday. But I did remain and
watch the boxers do their training thing. The boxers working out, Filipinos and Americans alike,
eyed Thomas with awe and great respect. And the Champ was a real human dynamo. He barked
orders, and stepped inlo the ring on several occasions to box a few rounds. Each time he boxed
he moved differently. Finally, I caught on. He was making the moves his sparring partner's up-
coming opponent would make in the Saturday night fight.

When it was time for me lo leave, he reminded me of the Saturday night show. "I'll save you a
seat," he promised. "If your ship doesn't shove off, come back."

Now it had been twenty-nine years since that mcefing in Alongopo. From time to lime 1 had
read stories about Thomas. Three or four times I had seen him wrestle on television. And once,
at the St. Louis arena, I had seen him handle a main eventer on a nationally televised program. I
tried to struggle my way to the dressing area to speak to him but I couldn't buck the police line.

The cops were more helpful in Kansas. Two burly deputies escorted me to the champ's
dressing room. When I entered, the man, his hack lo me, had a typewriter on his lap and was
pounding at the keys. Without glancing up, he said, "Did you get any more challengers?"

"Was I supposed 10?" I replied. "I'm looking for Champ Thomas."

His head jerked around and he glared at me. He was the man I was looking for. His face was
more battered and he had losl weight, bu! he appeared to be as confident, arrogant, and cocky as
he'd been the firs! time I saw him in New Guinea. From the glare I knew ihat he didn't have the
slightest idea who I was. I told him. Then I rushed on and explained how I learned of the show
and why I came. "Even though I barely know you. Champ, I've always felt as if you arc a close
friend. In fact, I've often bragged to drinking buddies ihat you are my pal."

Thomas was obviously pleased. "Great. And if ihey ever doubt your word, round 'em up and
I'll give 'em a lesson in the brutal art of boombattling." He grinned broadly. "Jerry, I'm glad you
came. I'm not what I used to be but I'll give you plenty to tell your pals. I'm fifty-five and I've
slipped eighty percent. I used to challenge 100 men and now I've dropped to twenty. And you
know something, they have a helluva time finding twenty men with guts to fight mc. Beating
iwenty men isn't even a light workout for mc. You'll see."

He was right. I saw. The youngsters were strong and gutsy but they couldn't compete with
the old master. Champ won 20-0 in less than fifteen minutes.

Lalcr, as we cui up sloricsof ihc past, Thomas brushed off his amazing feat as "nothing worth
talking about." But he was eager lo lalk and explain it to mc. "You see, Jerry, people seem to
ihink I'm a physical superman. I'm not. Knowledge is the answer. There is no substitute for
knowledge. I wish I could transmit my know-how into ihc head of every kid who wants to learn
1 intend to write books giving detailed instructions on how lo box... how to boombattle... and
how to wrestle."

How 10 Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

He stopped talking and studied me for a moment. "Say, Jerry, how'd you like to write an in-
troduction for one of my books? You don't have to stretch the truth or anything like that. Tell it
like it is. You've known me for thirty years. I was kind of in the big time when you met me.
Write it the way you think it should be written."

"Don't you think one of your famous friends would help sell more books?" I said.

"Maybe." He spread his hands and shrugged mildly. "But I'd rather you do it. You remem-
bered me and thought enough of me to buck that narrow highway traffic to see me. You're my
kind of dude."

Thai's how I was selected to write this piece. In closing I'd like to repeat the words of an an-
nouncer I heard praising Thomas after he defeated Bobo Brazil, the world-famous "Coco Butt"
artist:

'Thomas has been in the business of destroying athletic opponents for more than a quarter of
a century. He's a master performer, an unbeatable showman, a great promoter, and a superior
instructor. He's a champion in all areas of his profession. Too bad there aren't more men like
Champ Thomas. The sports world could certainly use them."

That statement was made in 1950.

On July 4, 1975, Champ Thomas celebrated his fifty-second anniversary as an active competi-
tor. During his long career he has won many championships. Being a champion, however,
doesn't permit Thomas to rest on his laurels. He works continuously to improve perfection. And
his painstaking efforts usually pay off.

When Thomas gives you advice, written or spoken, it's wise to take it. You will do no less
than profit from his words of wisdom. Handle this book with care and respect. It can be your
passport to si

Jerry Wright

A Letter of Praise from a Student

Dear Readers:

I was flattered when the author asked me to pose for some of the illustrations in this book.
You see, Champ Thomas taught me more about boxing in fifteen minutes than I learned in fif-
teen years from a dozen self-styled fistic experts. After reading portions of this book, I learned
why and how I had been victimized by my many teachers.

I doubt that any of the trainers set out to mislead me. To put it bluntly, they didn't know what
they were teaching. As Mr. Thomas says, they were no more than kindergarten instructors. But I
was like thousands of other youngsters who wanted to learn boxing... I'd take the word of an-,
man who said he was a trainer. Hungrily, 1 absorbed any and all advice I could get. Most of m\
trainers didn't know a left jab from a kick in the pants. But, if you accepted their word for it
(and 1 did), they were the best in the business. I gave them my full attention. When their "expen
boxing advice" didn't work out for me in active combat, the slick-talking trainers convinced me
that the lack of success was "due to my lack of ability."

Section One
How to Create A Super Boxer

Fifteen years ago I was ambitious and eager to pursue a boxing career. I visualized myself as
another Marciano or Dcmpscy. I'm confident I would've made it if 1 had been lucky enough to
connect with a knowledgeable trainer and manager. Even if I'd found a book like this one, it
would've pointed the route to success.

1 wonder how many young fistic hopefuls have shared my frustrations? How many potential
Dcmpscys have fallen short of success because they were taught wrong by ignorant trainers?

Champ Thomas has more boxing experience than any active trainer. What's more important,
he has the ability to teach boxing to others. He shows a beginning boxer the right way and then
tells him why it is the right way. And what's more convincing, he has the ability to don the
gloves arid "stamp" his superior technique on your boxing style.

The written word may not be as effective as the spoken word in training boxing aspirants, but
this boxing manual is a mile ahead of any boxing book I ever read. It is easy to understand all the
written instructions. I recommend How to Create A Super Boxer to anyone remotely interested
in the Manly Art of Self-Defense; to all sports fans, and to any person who reads just for the fun
of it.

Sincerely,

Ron Luchetta

Your Ticket to Success

Show me a male member of the human race who has not. at one time or another, wanted to
possess fistic ability, and I'll show you "a thing" whose name hasn't yet been invented. I don't
mean to imply that every male has aspired to be a professional boxer, an amateur boxer, or a
street fighter. But I do insist that every individual has seen the time when he wanted to punch
that "big bully in the nose."

Most people have little or no desire to become the transformed ninety-seven pound weakling.
However, if a person wants to learn how to "take care of himself' and has the desire to do so,
he can increase his fistic ability 100 percent or more.

I am writing this book with the hope that it will benefit all members of the human race. It is
meant to entertain and to educate and to serve as a guide to self-defense advocates, beginning
boxers, amateur boxers, pro-fighters, trainers, managers, and promoters.

Dozens of "How to Box" stories have been written. Many have given constructive informa-
lion and inspired youngsters in their pursuit of pugilistic knowledge. However, most of the
books are vague and do more to confuse the reader than they do to educate him.

I engaged in my first ring boxing contest when I was five years old. Soon after I learned to
read I started buying "How to Box" books. Each of the writing expcrls gave a different version
of how to achieve success. Now, as 1 look back, I'm sure many of those books were written by
blind men who never saw a boxing contest.

If the "How to Box" books arc confusing and misleading, then most of the "trainers of box-
ers" are living disasters. Thirty-five years ago I concluded that incompetent trainers were ruining
more aspiring boxers lhan any other one thing.

■ . '■■

Even top-notch boxers fall victim to the inept trainers. The first Joe Frazier-Muhammad Ali
world title fight is a good example of poor training. Frazier had a good left hook. It was pow-
erful. It was effective. But the way Joe used it was sloppy and amateurish. He fired the same
looping left hook for fifteen rounds. There was no class or deception in the execution of the
punch. But Ali wasn't smart enough to counter the wallop.

All things considered, it was a stupid fight. Mighty Joe Frazier, the heavyweight boxing cham-
pion of the world, and Muhammad Ali, the self-proclaimed greatest, fighting like rank amateurs.
1 will go into this fight further in the chapter on strategy.

How can you avoid the confusing books and/or the incompetent instructors? It isn't easy,
friend. You buy a book written by a famous sports figure and you assume it's the real McCoy.
You finagle a connection with a "name" trainer and you're confident you've got il made.

Let's look at the "name" trainer. Has he earned his reputation because he has created a cham-
pion or a great fighter? Or has he tagged along with a natural fighter who made it to the top in
spite of lousy training techniques? There are many trainers who gained reputations because fate
put them close to great boxers. I knew one such trainer who advertised himself as the creator of
eight world champions. Actually, the man worked in the camps of many world champions but he
seldom rated higher than assistant to an assistant trainer. Yet he made a great deal of money and
misled many fighters by trading off a distorted reputation.

Many other trainers, like the late Jack Hurley, are capable and actually develop one or two
good fighters. Then they try to force all their future prospects into the same old mold. In Hur-
ley's case it was Billy Pctrolle. He almost hit the jackpot with his famous "Fargo Express." It
affected his training style and he spent the rest of his life searching for another Petrolic. Hurley
was my friend and I had great respect for him and his ability. I wonder, though, how many good
prospects he ruined trying to create another Fargo Express.

Most boxing trainers have one-track minds. An advocate of classy boxing wants to convert
sluggers to boxers. Trainers who like sluggers will attempt to steer all students into the mauling
mold.

A trainer worthy of the name should cultivate your finer points, but he must develop all your
potential if he expects to create a Super Fighter. Maybe I'm confident to the point of being ob-
noxiously arrogant hut I consider myself superior to or the equal of any boxing trainer in the
world. Friends call me the greatest of all time, and my enemies have conceded that I know the
fight game from A to Z. I'm egotistical enough to figure I deserve the praise and credit. Give me
a normal human being and I'll return a good fighter. Give me an athlete with ability and I'll cre-
ate a champion.

If a prospect will listen to me and follow my instructions. I'll do the rest. I will give him stance
and footwork second to none. His left will be developed to a point of perfection. He'll be taught
how to score a knockout with any one of a dozen punches. 1 will teach him how to pace himself
to breeze through a fifteen-round bout. He'll become a master in the art of strategy, enabling
him to outthtnk his opponents and force them to frght his kind of battle.

In pointing out that many trainers shouldn't be teaching boxing, I don't mean to imply that all
instructors are worthless. There are many excellent trainers. However, there aren't too many
who can take you through the full educational process. One method of classifying boxing train-
ers is to compare them with schoolteachers. A sixth-grade dropout might possess the knowledge
to teach kindergarten. A high school graduate should be able to teach in the lower grades of

Section One
How lo Creole A Super Boxer

elementary school. But we all know that the sixth-grade dropout couldn't teach high school, and
the high school grad couldn't teach at the college level. Even the college grad, unless he picked
up a few postgraduate degrees, won't be effeetive leaching high school or college.

Now keep the above examples in mind and we'll apply them to boxing. A boxer who knows
the hasic fundamentals, but hasn't had more than five fights, certainly can't teach you more ihan
he knows. Chances are that he can't leach you half as much as he knows (or thinks he knows).

The college and postgraduate student needs teachers who have graduated from what they are
trying to teach. And, to make the teachers more effective, they should have several years experi-
ence teaching.

In boxing I have every imaginary degree available and. in addition, I have thirty-five years of
teaching experience. What's more important, my successful experience has taught me that I'm
employing (he proper method of teaching people how to box. I am familiar with all training
methods. I know the "degrees" held by most boxing Irainers. past and present, and I'm fully
aware of their track records. Still. 1 am confident that I'm much better than the others. I'm not
bragging... I'm merely slating facts.

Those who read this book for the sake of entertainment should achieve that goal, and I'm sure
they'll receive a better understanding of boxing. The boxing tan will get a better perspective of
the sport. Capable trainers are invited to use this work as a textbook. Even (he "know-it-all"
trainers should benefit from these lessons. If nothing else, these lessons may fire (he know-it-alls
with the ambition (o prove (hat they have a belter way. And the added effor( might just develop
good boxers.

Managers and promoters should absorb (he lessons herein. It will give (hem an understanding
of (he boxing (alem they're trying to sell to (he public.

The aspiring boxer should study and memorize every lesson. He should interpret the words
correctly and perfect each and every move. And he should never forget... regardless of how
much valuable (caching he receives, thai his own ambition and determination will make him or
break him.

Stance and Tootwork

Stance and footwork arc the first things a boxer should learn.
Without proper stance and footwork a boxer cannot execute a
single punch correctly; he cannot defend himself, and he can never
hope to be more than a casualty of the fight game.

Stance is similar to the foundation of a building. The world's

most elaborate structure can't be any better than worthless if it

has a faulty foundation. The material and workmanship, regardless

of the professionalism involved, are useless if the base is of

Illustration 1 crumbling materials.

To get the proper stance stand at attention. See Illustration I. You start in dotted footprinls

numbered I , then you take a comfortable step forward wilh your left foot and pivot each fool as

seen in solid footprinls numbered 2. Balance your weight on the balls of the feet. Bend your

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

knees slightly. Elevaic your left shoulder and lower your chin. Raise your right hand to a
position near your chin. Extend your left fist a foot or so from your body at an elevation
between your belt line and chest. Now you will have a stance similar to the one in Illustration 2.

Illustration 2

This stance will give you flexibility. Your feet are set to move you in any direction and your
hands arc in position to block or punch from any angle. It may not be as classy as some of the
posed shots you see in newspapers, hut the publicity shots are designed for advertising purposes.
Illustration 3 is posed. The man looks good, but he is open for any type of punch a foe wants to
fire. Illustration 4 is a side view of the perfect stance.

In subsequent illustrations you will get a better understanding of this stance as you study the
execution of various punches. You'll see how this stance is part of the overall plan to cope with
any fighting situation. I don't mean to imply that you must copy this stance exactly as it is. Your
feet may be closer together or farther apart. Your hands can be held at varied angles. As you
continue to practice, your own style will emerge and you'll be surprised at how many of these
moves have become part of you. And if you have the desire and determination to perfect them
all... you can't miss becoming a SUPERSTAR.

Now (hat you have taken the stance, you are set to practice footwork. Remember, your stance
and footwork are as important to you as a rifle is to a soldier. Without a rifle a soldier wouldn't
stand a chance against a well-armed enemy.

Illustration 5 shows you how to advance and retreat. In the left column you start in (he
footprints numbered 1. Notice that the weight of your body is balanced on the balls of your teet
(darkened portion). To advance you start in (he footprints numbered 1, take a comfortable step
forward wiih your left foot to print number 2, (hen move your right foot to print number 2 as
shown in the drawing. You can step as in walking or you can hop. In hopping (some people call

Section One
How to Create A Super Boxer

it dancing), which adds speed to your advance, you shift both feet simultaneously. In the right
column of Illustration 5 you simply reverse the procedure lo retreat.

Illustration 4

Remember: When practicing footwork, hold your stance. Don't walk as in '"walking" if your
opponent is within fighting distance. Don't goof off. Develop good training habits by coordi-
nating all aspects of your boxing style. Keep your feet set so you're in position to handle any
situation.

I've seen worthless trainers become extremely provoked when a student didn't function cor-
rectly. Actually, the trainer (many of them) don't have the experience to tell "their boys" how to
stand or how to hold their hands or any of the novice moves of boxing.

Once you get the "feel" of the advance and retreat steps, you're ready to "circle" your oppo-
nent. In Illustration 6 you start in footprint number 1. You're facing your foe head-on. To circle
to your left you shift your right foot to print number 2. As you make the step with your right
foot, your left foot remains in the number 1 print, but pivots on the ball of the fool to keep you
in perfect stance and balance. When your right foot has settled in print number 2, move your left
foot to the forward number 2 print. You are set to attack, retreat, or to continue your circling.
Follow the same procedure as you make a complete circle of the target, ending up in the number
5 footprints.

If you want to circle to your right, you employ the same procedure. Move your right foot
back over to the number 4 print, letting your left foot pivot on the forward number 5 print. Once
your right foot is settled back on number 4, shift your left foot to the forward number 4. Then
you continue to move around the target. (In circling, you can move both feet simultaneously.)

How to Be An Ass- Whipping Boxer

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Illustration 5

As you circle your opponent (the target) remember to maintain your fighting stance. As you
make the step into each set of prints you are in a solid position to cope with any situation.

Illustration 7 is an exercise designed to improve your circling ability and give you greater
shiftabiltty. You take your stance in footprints number I. Keep your left foot in the same print
and circle as shown (dotted footprints), and return to the starting footprints. Then make the cir-
cle to the right. And remember, keep your stance as you take each step.

Illustration 8 shows one of the finest side steps and getaway moves in boxing. This move can
be used in any section of the ring, but is especially recommended to escape being cornered by a

Section One
How to Create A Super Boxer

^iff-puncher. Example; You simply want to shift into a better position suited lo your fancy. So
>ou suddenly switch your feet from number 1 footprints to the number 2 prints. This places your
head and body approximately two feet to the right of your foe's line of fire.

Illustration 8 takes you the complete circle and 1 advise you to practice it until it is perfect.
However, in actual combat you might not want to take more than one or two steps. And, as you
always retain your fighting stance, you are in position to advance, retreat, unload your heavy ar-
tillery, or whatever you wish to do. You see, your unexpected side step will have caught your
foe by surprise and probably left him a sitting duck for your knockout punch.

Illustrations 9 and 10 give you a better perspective of the side step as shown in Illustration 8.
In Illustration 9 the boxer's feet are set in Illustration 8's number 1 footprints. In Illustration 10
the side step has been made, shifting the feet to prints number 2. The boxer in Illustration 10,
>ou will notice, is set to do what he wishes lo do. He has outsmarted his foe and is in command
of the situation.

Illustration 9

Illustration 10

It will take a greal deal of work and practice to perfect stance and footwork. But once you've
mastered STANCE and FOOTWORK, all other mechanics of boxing will come easy.

In developing stance it may help to get the natural knee bend if you practice the footwork
steps from a half-squat position. Try going through all the steps in a half-squat, then you'll find
that when you take your stance you'll automatically have the proper bend in your knees. An-
other extreme exercise will aid you in balancing your weight on the bails of your feel. After you
lake your stance, raise up as high as you can on your toes. Go through all phases of footwork,
literally on your toes. Then when you lower back to the ball section of your feel, you'll feel
comfortable.

At Ihis point, I'd like to use a timeworn adage: Practice makes perfect. Throughout this book.
1 will stress practice. You will never become too adept at boxing (or any other sport) that you're
too smart to practice. All great athletic champions continue to practice in hope that they can re-

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

main on top just a little longer. So it is doubJy important that you, a beginner, practice, practice,
ind then practice some more.

This chapter is devoted exclusively to footwork and stance. Each subsequent chapter will be
devoted 10 a specific mechanic of boxing. Therefore, 1 recommend that you read this book at
least two times before you start practicing your stance and footwork. Getting a brief illust rat ion
of all the mechanics of boxing will give you a better understanding of how all the moves fit to-
gether to complete the fighting machine.

The Left Jab

The left jab is probably the most important punch in scientific boxing. Why? It's the closest
fist to your opponent and can be fired without leaving yourself open for a dangerous counter-
punch. You can keep the action going and keep the pressure on your foe with a snappy left jab.
You can also do great damage with a powerhouse left. But most important, the left jab is used
to maneuver a foe into the target zone for your knockout punches.

.

The left jab comes in many varieties. You can piston it with machine gun speed, flick it, put
-.our entire body behind it in a pile-driving ram. By feinting with the jab you can make your foe
ghre you the opening you need for other punches.

* The left jab. like all punches, must explode straight from the shoulder. Even the flick jab.
n hich is often taken for a backhanded slap by boxing fans is snapped straight from the shoulder.

In Illustration 1 1 the boxer on the right lands a perfect left jab. Notice the position of the at-
tack boxer's feci, his list as it lands, and his right palm blocking his opponent's countering left.
The attack boxer holds a tight defense. His feel arc in an excellent position to continue the at-
tack, retreat, sidestep, or counter any move the foe might choose to make. His hands are cor-
rect... the left fist is on the foe's chin and the right hand has blocked the jab fired by the adver-
sary. And notice how the attack boxer's chin is tucked down behind his shoulder.

Sec! ion One
How to Create A Super Boxer

Study the attack boxer's position. I'm sure you can see why and how your balanced footwork
and stance will pay off for you.

Illustration 13

Illustration 14

In Illustration 12 you get a better view of the left jab. Notice how the attack boxer has landed
a perfect left, but is watching his foe closely and is prepared to cope with any situation.

Illustration 13 gives a good example of how you can get the maximum reach into your jab.
The attack boxer has four inches shorter reach than his opponent, yet he is outreaching the man
by more than six inches. The added reach is gained when you turn your body to a side-on stance
and extend your jabbing arm as far as you can.

In Illustration 12 the boxer on the left has deliberately lowered his protecting right hand, and
the man on the right is extending his jab as far as he can. Notice the stance and body position of
the boxer on the left. He is in perfect boxing position, and I'm sure you're beginning to see the
logic of the lessons in the preceding chapter.

Illustration 15

Illustration 16

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

Illustrations 15 and 16 demonstrate the proper way to execute a flicking left jab. The flick jah
is an excellent punch. You can outpoint a foe or completely befuddle him with a snappy flick. Or
\ou can set him up for your knockout punches.

Illustration 17

A flick jab may be fired from any position and in any direciion. However, a perfect way to
start a flick left is demonstrated in Illustration 15. It also gives you an idea of a pretty fair stance.
Notice the feet and hands. The man on the left is set perfectly to attack or defend himself And in
Illustration 16 you see him snap out his left in a good solid punch. The foe is in no position to
mount a successful counter.

The speed and power you can put into a flick is surprising. The best way to describe the flick
is to compare it with the strike of a flyswacter. The handle on the swatter gives you the leverage
to put more speed into the weapon than you'd ever put on an openhanded slap. And you get
more speed into the flick than you can ever put on a straight jab.

There is very little defense against a good left flick. And the flick jab does not leave you open
. L-<fu] counterattack. In Illustration 15 you are set to flick to the head, body, or wher-
ever, step out of range, block any punch thrown at you, counter any punch fired at you. and then
battle the foe w ith more cutting flicks.

In Illustration 17 the boxer on the left demonstrates another type flick, which has been called a
reverse left hook. Actually, though, it is a flicking left jab invented by the author to get around a
solid frontal defense. You start the punch as an orthodox flick. However, your foe has his glove
or shoulder up as a defense. So you start the flick as if you intend to land six to twelve inches to
the left of his jaw, then you sort of sweep the punch over the foe's guard to his head.

I invented this punch one night when 1 was fighting a man who refused to open up. He fought
from a shell-type defense. At that time I hadn't learned how to make a stubborn foe fight my
kind of battle, but that night I started to learn.

The man earned his left shoulder high and his left glove even higher. My Hick wasn't too ef-
fective on him. but I kept seeing his left ear bobbing up as a target. I thought: Ifl could switch

Section One

How lo Create A Super Boxer

to a southpaw stance 1 could sure clobber the top of his ear. Then I thought: Why not put my
left on his ear? That's what 1 did. His handlers complained to the referee that I was backhanding
the man. The referee could see that I was punching legally, and he told (hem so. It made the
tighter mad and he opened up to tight me. Thai's when I hung the KO punch on him.

Since then I have used the wallop in hundreds of bouts and sparring sessions. It's a legal blow
in any ring. It surprises the opposition, and it usually draws a complaint from his handler. If the
referee questions me, I show him how the punch lands fairly. And when my foe tries to defend
against the blow, I catch him with a KO punch.

Study Illustration 17. Imagine the boxer on the right is your opponent. Take the lucking
stance in Illustration 15. Now start a flick jab as if you intend to hit the man on the sleeve of his
left arm, then sweep the blow in a stiff-arm motion over his left shoulder. The speed of the fist,
plus the twist of your body, drops the punch down on the foe wiih the force of a swinging base-
ball bat.

Experiment with the flick jab. The ones I've described will be a valuable asset to your arsenal
of weapons. Of course, your version of the flick may vary slightly. Nevertheless, it will be basi-
cally the same and it will do a good job lor you.

The Left llook

A left hook, like any punch, is very important in any boxer's arsenal of punches. It's fairly
easy to land, especially if you're a smart boxer. And you'll be a smart boxer if you perfect the
lessons in this book.

You can connect with a left hook almost as easily as you can land a flicking left jab. Normally,
though, you can put more power on a hook than you can on a jab. The left hook zooms in on
the right side of your foe's jaw and it has real knockout potential.

From the basic stance, the hook comes almost as naturally as docs the left jab. You can snap
the hook with power and authority without giving the foe an opportunity to counter effectively.

A hook can be successful when fired from any angle. You may be standing with your forehead
on the face of your adversary, and still be able to land effectively to (he target, which is only
inches from your face. You can fire a left hook from arm's length. The long left hook is deliv-
ered similarly to the flicking jab described and shown in Illustration 1 7. Of course, the left hook
sweeps in toward the right jaw instead of over the left shoulder to the jaw.

Illustration 18 is an example of a good left hook. The punch, as shown in this pose, can be
i.mdcd with devastating effect. Notice the angle of the feet. They are in the basic stance, but the
power is coming off the left foot, the speed of the arm, and the twist of the entire body. The at-
tack boxer is in complete control of his body. By "control," 1 mean that he is executing the
runch properly, but he is also in position to make any other move he chooses to make.

Although I favor the flicking left hook, which resembles a playful kitten slapping at a dangling
string, I use the hook as a knockout weapon. If your opponent is cagey, you may need to use
deception lo land any kayo wallop. I've scored more than twenty knockouts with the series of
?unchcs demonstrated in Illustrations 19, 20. and 21.

How lo Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

In Illustration 19 the boxer on the left shoots a straight left to his opponent's body. The punch
brings down the opposition's guard, leaving an open shot to the jaw. This, of course, is what the
attack boxa Ins set out to do... get an opening for his knockout left hook. So he pulls his left
hack about eieht inches, drops it a few inches in a sweeping motion to the jaw.

Illustration 20 catches the KO hook on its way to the target. Illustration 21 presents the actual
landing of the punch. Study this illustration. The attack boxer is in position to put great power in

Section One
How to Create A Super Boxer

this punch. His feet are in position to follow through with the punch, cross a right, or retreat. He
also has maintained a good defensive style.

How do you develop a good left hook? You can start right and practice until you achieve per-
fection. How should you start? One way is to imitate a playful kitten slapping a dangling string.
Take the basic stance and hold your body motionless, all your body except the left arm from the
shoulder down. Then, in a relaxed and playful way, you slap at an imaginary target. Close your
fist and make the same slapping motion. Gradually add speed and put the twist of your shoulder
into the movement. After you get the hook feel, try it on the heavy punching bag. Start with
playful kitten siaps and then increase the power. The playful kitten slaps will become real jaw-
breakers.

Righttland Punches

People think of a right-hand as the fist that scores knockouts. And the right is a potent
weapon. It is generally used as a follow-up and/or a counterpunch. The follow-up punch usually
comes as a one-two combination. You stab with a left jab and then fireball a right to make
"lightning strike twice in the same place." In the counterattack, you usually sneak past or inside
a punch fired by the opposition and land your crushing right. Regardless of how the right is
used, it is a devastating wallop and will always be a knockout drop.

Illustration 22

Illustration 23

Illustration 22 is an example of a good straight right. The punch has been executed properly.
Also notice that the attack boxer's left is cocked and ready to fire.

The right is an excellent punch and should be perfected and used constantly. The right can he
used and fired from any angle. There arc many versions of the straight right, uppercut, and over-

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

hand righl. Basically, each of these punches is the same. However, an individual performer often
makes a standard punch look a little different.

You'll be shown how to develop right-hand knockout power in the "developing power"
chapter. There'll be additional right-hand information in the chapter on strategy. Now, however,
I'd like to show you one of my right-hand specialties.

Illustrations 23, 24, and 25 demonstrate how to land an overhand right. This series of punches
has netted me approximately fifty knockouts. I've used it in regulation bouts, in gym workouts,
in carnival fights, and as an athletic director in the Navy. It has been a big winner for me, and it
can do the same for you.

Illustration 24

Illustration 25

Setting your opponent up for a knockout punch often requires boxing know-how. The "smart
information" will be given in a larger dose in the strategy chapter, as I stated above. And I re-
peat myself deliberately to stress the importance of outsmarting your foe.

In putting over a hard right, you employ a method similar to the crushing left you learned in
the last chapter. When you decide to take your man out with an overhand right, you should
avoid the punch for two or three rounds. Fire all types of blows except the overhand right. Pre-
tend you've gone body-punch crazy or left-hook happy. Shoot a half dozen powerhouse lefts to
your foe's body. Watch his reaction. You'll notice that his body and hands come forward, leav-
ing a clear shot at his head.

Now that you have the boxer reacting the way you desire, you give the impression that you
arc trying to shoot a desperation left to the body. In Illustration 23 you land the straight left to
the body. Notice the left ear, neck, and side area of the man on the right. He is set up for the
knockout punch.

In Illustration 24 the overhand right leaves its launching pad. In Illustration 25 it hits the bull's
eye. Notice how the attack boxer has hit the target and has the leverage to finish the fight with
this one punch.

Section One
How to Create A Super Boxer

In settling a bet several years ago, I proved thai 1 could stop five sparring partners with over-
hand rights in less than thirty minutes. You see, the gambler was convinced that a right swing
was a worthless punch. His degrading of the punch prompted the bet. I had been making the
overhead right pay off for me for many years, so I bragged that I could stop any five men he
could find. My only stipulation was lhat he couldn't tell the men of the bet. Well, he double-
crossed mc. He told each sparring partner he selected thai he had bet that I couldn't knock him
out with a right swing.

It crealcd a tough obstacle. The men knew what I was trying to do. In a way, though, it aided
me. They were set to defend their jaws. I got the first man with a swing to his left side. As a
maiter of fact, my punch broke two of his ribs. The second and third men fell from punches I
fired to their heads. The fourth man thought he had a perfect defense. But when I broke his left
wrist with a beautiful overhand right, he sat down and quit. The fifth man was so scared that he
fell from the force of my powerhouse left jab.

The man refused to pay the bet because 1 hadn't stopped all five with right-handers. So a pair
of my friends literally tossed the man into (he ring and I told him he'd be the fifth victim.

He paid the bet.

Now 1 didn't relate this incident to prove that I'm all that formidable. 1 wanted to instill in you
the importance of a punch many handlers avoid as if it is the plague.

The overhand right is a poient weapon. It can be landed. It will win many fights for you. Just
be certain you develop i! and learn how to land it.

The right (and left) uppercut is a sort of upsweeping hook. You use ii in combination and
slugging infighting. You can develop the uppercut the same way you do a hook. Of course,
though, you must employ a lifting movement instead of a roundhouse hooking motion.

Ducking and Countering

Countcrpunching is extremely effective. Many good boxers depend on counterblows to win
tights. Even Die aggressive types who appear to slug blindly, actually are ducking and countering
Ihe offensive blows fired by the opposition. Example; Boxer A bulls his way forward and Boxer
B attempts to stop him with a left jab. Boxer A slips under the left lead and shoots his own right
to Boxer B's midsection. And so it goes... Boxer A comes in slugging, but his most effective
punches arc the ones he lands because the other boxer gives him the cbanec to counter. The
name of (he game is Duck and Counter.

In Illustration 26 the boxer on the right sneaks inside a left and lands a right to the jaw. This is
a very potent punch and often is the one to end a fight. In Illustration 27 the same boxer ducks a
left hook and connects with a right to the body. In Illustration 28 the boxer on the left demon-
strates how to slip a straight left and counter with a long left. The right-cross counter is shown
in Illustration 29.

In Illustration 29 notice lhat the victim has kept his chin tucked down behind his left shoulder.
It robs the opponent of his chance to score a one-punch knockout.

Learning to duck punches and land counterblows is easy. However, like all the physical me-
chanics of boxing, it takes plenty of practice.

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

There are dozens of punches you can counter. In fact, just about any punch can be countered.
When your opponent fires a punch, you can counter it. And when you shoot a punch at him, he
has an opportunity to counter. If this sounds like a Mexican standoff, don't worry about it. My
chapter on strategy will teach you how to outsmart the opposition.

Study Illustrations 26, 27, 28, and 29. Pay special attention to the form displayed by the box-
ers. Their stance, footwork, and boxing style are perfect. To put it bluntly, they radiate class.
Even the one being hit keeps his composure and is prepared to recapture command of the battle.

Section One
How to Create A Super Boxer

It is easy lo learn and perfect clucking and countering. But, like all other aspects of boxing, it
takes a great deal of practice. Find a spar mate to work with you. Take one punch at a time. Ex-
ample: The spar mate executes a punch in slow motion. You slip inside or outside and fire your
punch to the target you desire. Gradually gain speed until you're able to duck and counter fast
punches.

A very important point to remember is: When you duck a punch and land a counterblow, the
punch is twice as effective as a blow landed on a stationary target. Why? Because it is similar to
two cars colliding at thirty miles per hour. It creates the impact of a single car crashing into a
brick wall at sixty miles per hour.

Blocking and Countering

Blocking and countering differs from ducking and countering in that you block or deflect a
punch instead of dodge it. Blocking and countering is an art. You block a punch, then counter
with a punch of your own.

Illustration 30 is a good example of blocking and countering. The boxer on the right tries a
right to the head. It is blocked by his opponent, who counters with a powerful straight left. No-
tice that the man on the left is set to follow-up with more punches, retreat, or continue to block
and counter.

The theory that a boxer must carry his left high is exploded in Illustration 31. Notice how the
boxer on the left defends against a right. Also take note of the position he is in. His feet, his
hands, and his entire body are set for any eventuality. He can flick with his left; he can fire his
right; he can move into a clinch; he can attack or retreat.

Illustration 31

How lo Be An Ass- Whipping Boxer

Parrying punches is a popular defense. Personally, I favor blocking instead of parrying. It
doesn't leave you open for counterattacks. However, at times I've parried blows as adeptly as
any champion.

Illustration 32

Illustration 33

Illustrations 32 and 33 illustrate an excellent example of parrying and countering. In Illustra-
tion 32 the boxer on the right catches his foe's lead punch a split second before impact. With a
flick of his wrist he starts to pull the blow to his right. In Illustration 33 he completes the ma-
neuver, countering with a powerful left.

Parrying punches sounds and looks difficult to a novice, and it is. However, with practice,
anvone can master the an of parrying blows. You merely set yourself in your regular boxing
stance, guard held normally, then ask a sparring partner to work with you. Ask him to employ
slow motion action at first. As his slow punch zooms to approximately four inches from your
nose, catch it as the man in Illustration 32 is doing. Don't actually grasp the man's arm. It's
more of a pulling and deflecting action.

As vour parrying movement improves, ask the sparring partner to increase his speed. You'll
be surprised at how soon you'U learn to parry the fastest punches. You'll learn that any type of
punch can be parried. Rights to the jaw. rights to ihe body, and lefts to the body and head can be
brushed aside. And you can parry blows with either hand.

Deflecting a left jab is another method of avoiding the punch. Instead of parrying the blow you
merelv brush it aside as demonstrated in Illustration 34. If your opponent is lunging on his
punch, this deflecting move will throw him off balance and he'll be open for a solid counterat-
tack.

Illustration 35 presents an excellent example of blocking a left hook. The boxer on the right
blocks a left hook, then counters with a hard left hook.

Section One
How to Creole A Super Boxer

Illustration 35

In practicing any type of blocking and countering, you should work with a cooperating spar
mate. Start with slow punches and gradually pick up momentum. You'll be surprised how fast
you learn the blocking and countering technique.

Aggressive righting

Any type of punch you fire, if it lands or not, can be labeled aggressive action. By putting
various punches in different chapters, we don't mean to imply that they're something different,
other than to say you can't learn ten punches at one time. In actuality, slugging, infighting
-ountering, defensive fighting, and all other aspects of boxing are so interwoven that they
produce ONE finished product. Naturally, you and I want your finished product (you) to
become a super boxer. And that goal is not loo difficult. However, you must absorb this
knowledge and continue to try and perfect perfection.

Practice and experience will give you the "feeling" to make the correct move at the proper
:i,-ne. Most boxing experts attribute the correct move to reflex action. They are right. However.
.:"}ou don't learn and perfect the punches, your reflexes can't help you a bit.

To the beginning boxers who don't know too much about reflexes, let me explain it this way:
Punches blast at you so fast that you don't have the time to analyze the situation. You can't tell
yourself, "Here comes a hard left hook. What should 1 do? Duck and counter? Block? Dance
out of range? What?" Your foe will land ten punches while you're doing that much thinking. But
if you've learned your lessons well, your reflexes, like a computer, will give you the correct
rrrove and you'll make it in time to foil your opponent. Remember, though, your reflexes can't
Mftke you do a thing until you've learned it so well that it's part of you.

Most sports fans and people in the boxing business associate aggressiveness with two-fisted
bugging. And any fighter, even the ones that depend on science to win, should be able to mount
. powerful two-fisted attack.

How to Be An Ass- Whip ping Boxer

In recent years most trainers and their boxing subjects have gone combination crazy. Combi-
nation punching, generally speaking, is better than wild slugging. However, at limes it can be
pointless. The theory behind combination punching is that the aggressor covers every point of
the target area. Too often, though, the boxer becomes so combination conscious that his attack
becomes a simple pattern, which is easy to counter or avoid completely.

I'm not against combination punching and/or two-fisled slugging. In fact. I've employed both
with devastating effect in many fights. To clear the minds of you readers who do not understand
the term "combination punching," let me explain it this way: Example A: The ordinary combina-
tion puncher is a "wound-up toy." If he starts with a left to the head, the next punch will be a
right to the body. This is followed with a left to the body... a hook to the jaw... an uppcrcut...
He continues the routine by rotating his punches in a rhythmical pattern. It is similar to a soldier
blindly shooting into a clump of bushes in the hope he will hit an unseen target. Example B: The
slugger or infighter may look like a combination fighter to the layman, but he is far superior. The
slugger moves in and may appear to be punching in a random way. However, he is actually
countering the moves and counter efforts being made by his foe. He is settled in a solid stance,
has the leverage, and can make each and every punch a real blockbuster.

Sluggers like Jack Dempsey, Rocky Marciano, and Henry Armstrong shuffled forward con-
stantly, shooting punches. I've heard advocates of combination punching mention the above
fighters as prime examples of the style. Actually, though, Dempsey, Marciano, and Armstrong
were counterfighting experts. I doubt that any of their opponents ever fired a punch that these
sluggers didn't counter effectively. You see, any good slugger is an expert at making his foe
shoot the punches he wants to counter. 1 will devote more space to this in the strategy chapter.

Personally, I favor potshots punching, and will discuss it thoroughly in my lesson on strategy.
Meanwhile, I will present a few illustrations relating to intelligent aggressive action.

In Illustration 36 the boxer on the left has fired a left hook. The man on the right has blocked
the left and appears to be coming. However, the boxer on the left is in a much belter position to

Section One
How to Create A Super Boxer

create damage. His feet are set to carry him, forward, backward, or to either side, and he has the
leverage to counter any aggressive countcrmove the other man may attempt to make. But most
important, the boxer on the left can force his foe to give an opening that'll be easy to counter.
The attack boxer is also in perfect position to launch a two-fisted spree.

Illustration 37 offers a clear view of the cover-up made famous by Muhammad Ali. Imagine
that you are the boxer on the left. I'm sure you can see plenty of openings for your big guns.
The solar plexus region is open for a potshot. The right ear, jaw, and base of the skull are ex-
tending you an invitation to drop in a knockout punch. The entire right side and kidney area re-
semble a heavy punching bag.

Defenders of this style cover-up are quick to point out that the defensive fighter can and will
shift his arms to caich punches fired at the open spots. But I say that you, as the man on the left,
arc in a much better position to score than he is to defend. What's more, you have many targets.

Illustration 38 Illustration

In Illustration 38 the man on the left blocks a left hook and prepares to fire his own left. And
in Illustration 39 he lands the left uppercut. Notice that he also is set to counter any move his foe
may try to make.

You can learn to punch hard and fast. The heavy bag is the place to start. To develop speed
you lead with your left, then put your right on the same spot, and then ham-bam-bam like a ma-
chine gun. Forget power... think speed. Hit the hag as many times as you can in ten or fifteen
seconds. Gradually you'll develop a relaxed rhythm and find yourself punching faster than you
ever dreamed possihle. And you'll be surprised at the power you're putting into the blows.

The heavy bag will give you a good opportunity to practice "slipping punches" as described in
the chapter on ducking and countering. Pretend the bag is a vicious opponent. Jab to "his" nose,
then slip under his countering left and put a hard right to "his" heart. Now you hook a hard left
to "his" jaw. Follow with a piledriving right to "his" chin. If you want to continue the attack
with a blazing blitz, it's your privilege. But to get the most out of the workout, pretend the bag
is a hated foe who is fighting back.

How lo Be An Ass- Whipping Boxer

Remember: Keep your balanced stance. Don't get "suckcred" into making a foolish move that
leaves you at the mercy of your opponent. He is trying to finish you and your boxing career.

Defensive righting

Boxing "experts" will tell you that the best defense is a good offense. There i.s a great deal of
truth in that concept. After all, if a fighter is outpunching you, he doesn't need a defense. But if
you go against a fighter who is stronger than you, can outpunch you, then how are you going to
mount a superior offense? If you expect to win you'll have to resort to deceptive tactics.

It is difficult for me lo define any tactic as purely defensive. Even a boxer who runs away,
usually stops often and long enough to land an assortment of counterblows.

To mc, the only 100 percent defensive tactic is the cover-up and the clinch. Even Ihcn, a
fighter should be seeking to trap his man and move into a commanding position.

Illustration 40

Illustration 41

The basic slance and footwork are very important in covering and clinching. The defensive
stance is similar to the basic stance. Illustration 40 is a perfect defensive stance. It also serves as
a darn sood cover-up. Look at the illustration. If the man moves his left hand to the solar plexus
area, elevates his left shoulder to his left eyebrow, tucks his chin against his chest, keeps his right
t ~ against his body and his right glove to his right temple, he'll have a perfect example of a
solid cover-up. He'll have the flexibility to roll with the punches thrown by his foe, yet he'll re*
lam the balance to shoot punches and land with knockout force.

Practice this defensive stance and cover-up. Let your sparring partner shoot punches at you.
Starl stow iv and gain speed. With a slight rolling of your shoulders and body you'll be able to
block all his punches, and you'll spot openings for many good countcrshots.

Clinchrng is a smart defensive tactic. It's a method lo stop the action... usually when the
clincher is hurt and needs a break to recover. I've used a clinch merely to buy time and/or to

Section One

How to Create A Super Boxer

wreck my foe's bailie plan. You see, many fighters have one-track minds. You upset their plans
and Ihey have a difficult time getting back on the main track. By the time their minds unwind,
you can often score a knockout.

Illustration 42

Illustration 43

Illustrations 41, 42, 43. 44, and 45 demonstrate the perfect clinch to completely tie up your
pponeol, and a spin-away that'll leave him at a disadvantage.

Illustration 41 is a perfect clinch. It puts you in complete control. In Illustration 42 you begin
: push the foe away. Illustration 43 is a clear shot of the twist-away. Notice how the man on
he right is set to keep control of the situation. Illustration 44 puts the man on the right in an
.-ikward position. In Illustration 45 the controlling boxer steps back, prepared to launch the
fcnmnatmg phase of the bout.

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

You won'! be able lo spin every foe in this way. But in ninety percent of the clinches you can
duplicate this turn-away. You see, when you clinch a fighter, and he suddenly realizes that he is
hopelessly tied up, he relaxes and tries to gain a few seconds rest. While he's relaxed, you
merely turn him away from you. When you do find a man who braces himself and struggles
against being turned away, you can step around him to your own right, then push away from him
as illustrated in Illustration 45.

Occasionally, you'll have to settle for a clinch as shown in Illustration 41. Why won't you be
able to follow through? At times a referee, especially one who is favoring the foe, will demand
that you break the clinch the moment you make it. In thai case you step away, hut remember to
keep your guard up and hold a solid stance as demonstrated in Illustration 45.

There may be times when you have to make an unorganized clinch. This can happen when
you're dazed and unable to fight back. In thai case a desperation clinch may be the only way to
survive. In one such clinch I threw both arms around my opponent's midsection and clung on for
at least ten seconds. He had just hit me with a potent punch and was preparing to finish me with
a two-fisted blast. My desperation clinch saved the day for me. By the time the referee pried me
loose from the man, I had recovered and went on to stop him in the next round.

Defense should be a part of your boxing style. From the second the bell sounds you pay atten-
tion to defense. Your stance, your footwork, your entire fighting system has a built-in defensive
guard. If you've learned all the other lessons well, defense will come easy and it'll be perfect.

Developing Punching Power

You often hear that a certain boxer lacks the punching power to become great. Or you may
hear people say that so-and-so is a onc-handed tighter. When I hear that a boxer is being placed
in the above category. I feel sorry for him, I know he has been the victim of a ■'kindergarten-
type" boxing instructor.

Any person, man, woman, or youngster, can develop punching power and become a knockout
.irtist. A fighter who hasn't learned how to punch has cheated himself.

I don't insist that a flashy boxing speedster should discard his speed. Far from it. He should
cultivate and increase his speed. But he can develop knockout power in his fists without losing
: .:- boxing class and zip. With knockout power in his fists and loads of boxing speed and
I .j' ; a cinch to become a champion.
_ - to create a devastating punch.

jtraiiorj 46 demonstrates the best way to develop power in your straight left. Notice the

: ihe feet. They are set in the basic stance. The right foot is "dug in," the left foot is

completely off the floor, the entire body weight and muscle power is positioned to explode on

the target as the fist makes contact. The boxer is, it appears, trying to wreck the ten-story

. Id _ To get the most out of this exercise, you should try pushing from several angles and

Ji-tances from the "pushing" target.

In Illustration 47 the boxer demonstrates the proper way to increase the punching power in his

right hook. In Illustrations 48 and 49 he is developing power in his left hook. In Illustration 49

he exercises on the medicine ball held by a sparring partner. Notice how he is trying to force his

spar mate back across the ring? Incidentally, you can make good use of a spar mate and a medi-

Section One
How to Create A Super Boxer

cine ball when you are working on power. Just have the partner hold ihe ball at an angle to offer
a target for the type of punch you want to put power in.

Illustration 46

Illustration 47

You can increase the power in any punch. If you want an awesome overhand right, select an
object whose height is the sante as an average opponent, then swing your right (in slow motion)
and try to flatten (he object to the floor. The top of an automobile can be used, as a target for
the overhand right exercise. Hooks, uppercuts, straight rights and lefts, jabs, and swings can be-
;omc atom-powered if you employ this technique to'develop them.

There are many objects which will serve as targets lo increase your punching strength.
Buildings, trees in a park, automobiles, walls inside your home, and individuals who will let you
"shove" them. Illustration 49 is an example of how a spar mate can help you.

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

I often ""show off' and push a loaded semi-rig with a straight left. ! push the truck in the style
shown in Illustration 46. Several years ago I won a thousand dollar bet by moving a fully loaded
semi ten feet. Those who saw me accomplish that feat will never doubt me when 1 tell them I
scored a dozen knockouts with left jabs.

Anyone with an ounce of intelligence knows you can't walk up to a smart opponent and dam-
age him with a push. Even if you can move a thirty-ton semi with a hefty shove, it's still a show
and will do liltle more than push your target away from you. So how does the shoving aid your
punching power? Study Illustration 46. Notice the power and leverage being put into the left. To
get effective power into the punch, combine the powerhd shoving technique with a fast jab. Step
forward with your left foot and time your punch to land a split second before the left foot
touches the floor. Delivered properly, this punch defies the experts and becomes a knockout
weapon. As I mentioned, I've scored more than a dozen knockouts with this blow.

Illustration 47 shows the boxer developing power on his right. To get the best results in actual
combat you should step forward and to the left with your left foot, twist your entire body, pivot
on your right foot and fire the right fist taster than you ever dreamed possible. If these moves
are coordinated properly, you will do great damage. And practice is all that is needed to get
right coordination.

Illustration 50 shows how your feet can aid in getting more
power into your right. Footprints number 1 arc the way your feet
will be when you start the punch. Footprints number 2 show how
to step over and forward with your left foot, and how to pivot on
your right foot. This movement will give more flexibility and
allow your body to twist into the punch in a natural way.
All movements of the body arc very important to your punching
1 power. But I think the feel and legs should be considered the most
important. The left hook and left uppercut come off the left foot.
The left jah and all right-hand shots derive their thrust from the
right foot.

CATCH YOUR OPPONENT COMING TOWARD YOU. If you can time any punch to land
as the opponent is advancing, it will add double force to your wallop. It's similar to a car mov-
ing al thirty miles per hour hitting a brick wall. Now if that same car is traveling at thirty miles
per hour and crashes head-on into another car, which is traveling thirty miles per hour, it creates
a force of sixty miles per hour. Punching is the same. Catch your foe coming in and you'll dou-
ble the force of your blow.

The final point of power punching is the "follow-through." To give you a clear illustration of
following through, let's talk about baseball. If a batter bunts a ball it has little chance of going to
or beyond the pitcher's box. But if the batter "follows through" with a powerful swing, the ball
ma] be knocked out of the park for a home run.

Now imaaine you're standing in the catcher's box fighting a man who's standing on home
plate. You jab with an ordinary left. The punch should be compared with a bunt and probably
won't do more than shake the man. Now imagine you "follow through" with a powerful left
hook. The punch is short but you, like a southpaw home-run batter, put your entire body into
the swing and -follow through" as if you want to knock your foe's head down the firs! base foul
line to the grandstand.

^3V

Section One
How to Create A Super Boxer

A straight right can be compared to a baseline drive. Your "follow-through" effort knocks
your foe over the pitcher, over third base, and out to the field. With an overhand right you try to
drive the man, as hammering a nail, down through home plate. Think of uppercuts as blows to
blast the man straight up into orbit.

Golf is another sport in which the "follow- through" is essential, and it can give you ideas for
your own boxing follow through. The golfer tecs off, "follows through" with a gigantic swing,
and blasts the ball two or three hundred yards down the fairway. How far could he knock the
ball if he teed off with a "putt swing?"

Developing awesome knockout power is easy. Follow the simple instructions in this lesson,
put them all together, and practice until you achieve perfection. Then keep practicing in an effort
to add new dimensions to perfection.

Training and Conditioning

The old adage "a chain is as strong as its weakest link" certainly appUes to boxing. A very im-
portant link in the building of a fighter is endurance. Unless you are in top physical condition the
boxing tools you've developed will be ineffective. Even when you've perfected all the profes-
sional tactics, you must be in good condition or you won't achieve any measure of greatness.

How does one get in "fighting shape?" You can't order it from a catalog. And it won't "hap-
pen" when you read these words. It takes loads of work. You build up your endurance by
working, working, and then working some more. However, if you learn to treat all phases of
your training program as a sporting game, it can be a lot of tun.

In the following pages I will outline a professional training program. Follow it and you will
attain lop fighting condition.

ROADWORK: Running is a very important part of your training program. It strengthens
your legs, builds your wind, and is a great aid in increasing your overall condition. While there is
no set rule as to when and how far you should run, many trainers will insist that you must go on
the road at exactly 9 minutes, 8 seconds past 4 a.m., and run exactly 4 miles, 410 feet, and 3Vi
inches. How some of those dudes settled on their times and distances, I never learned.

Actually, you can do your roadwork at any hour and you don't need lo set the distance in
miles, inches and feet. You should, however, regulate the time to fit your overall training sched-
ule. If you're training full-time you should go on the road in the early morning or forenoon
hours. This will give you time to rest before your gym workout, which is usually scheduled in
the afternoon hours. If you are working on a Full-time job, then you must rearrange your training
program to fit your work schedule. I've known boxers who jumped out of bed, went out for a
three- or four-mile run, ate breakfast, and then reported for an eight-hour job. And that same
evening at seven or eight o'clock they'd be in a gym training as if their lives depended on it.
That kind of schedule requires ambition and determination, but you can do it if the situation calls
for it.

Let us assume that you are training full-time. Arise at 8 a.m. Do four or five minutes of light
exercises, then go to a park or open country area, if you can, avoid running alongside a busy

L

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

street or highway. Automobile exhaust fumes may not kill you but they certainly won't do you a
hit of good. If done properly, two or three miles of roadwork are enough.

Start slow and jog a fourth of a mile, then sprint three or four hundred yards, slow and jog a
couple hundred yards, then sprint the same distance. Alternate between sprinting and jogging.
When you sprint, run as if you're trying to break all standing world records. Wind up your road
jaunt with a quarter mile walk. This will give you time to cool off and return your breathing to
normal.

Alternating between jogging and sprinting conditions your breathing for the actual ring com-
bat. In the ring you fight like a tornado for a few seconds, then you spar for a few seconds. The
judging and sprinting aids you in pacing yourself to fight long distances.

WHAT SHOULD YOU EAT? I've heard trainers lay down a strict diet for their fighters,
and then warn the fighter that if he doesn't stick to the diet he will never become a champion.
It's my opinion, though, that that fighter won't be a champion because of his trainer's inept
methods. Actually, there's no set rule as to what you can or can't eat. It is a good idea to avoid
starchy foods. Don't be a glutton and stuff until you're uncomfortable. I like steak as the day's
main meal. But in training fighters I've adjusted to many eating styles, and I learned early that
there is more than one way to eat. One boxer can be a tiger on tortillas, another one docs a fine
job on spaghetti, and others eat vegetables. I've seen Filipino boxers, living on skimpy portions
of rice, go into rings and fight sensational battles. And during the depression days I fought a
bloody six-rounder when my only meal in two days had been a stale pack of sweet rolls. Then I
had to fight off a pair of cutthroat hoods in the alley outside the arena. They were trying to take
my fifteen-dollar purse.

So I say... if you can do your best on a belly full of beans, cat beans. You'll soon leurn what
serves you best.

1 suggest you try these meals:
BREAKFAST: One small glass of juice or a grapefruit; two poached eggs, five strips of bacon

or a slice of ham; toast buttered lightly and covered thinly with jelly or jam; milk or tea to

drink.
LUNCH: Roast beef, chicken or ham; side order of peas, corn, or string beans; milk, tea or soft

drink.
DINNER: Steak or some other solid meat; salad and baked potato; cake or ice cream for des-
sert: milk, tea or soft drink.

DON'T STUFF. EAT MODERATELY.

If you schedule your workout in the evening, cat your heavy meal at about 2 p.m. Then after
your workout you can eat a light lunch. If your gym date is 2 or 3 p.m., eat lunch at least two
hours before the session, then you eat your heavy meal at six or seven o'clock.

The length of your gym workout, whether in the afternoon or evening, should correspond to
the number of rounds you intend to fight. Example: If you are training and conditioning yourself
to appear in a four-round fight, six or seven rounds are enough gym work. Of course, though,
you must uork hard and get the most out of your gym work. Don't loaf. When you arc condi-
tioning for a ten-rounder you should extend your gym workout to ten to twelve rounds.

In the following chapter I will discuss pacing. Pacing oneself is the answer to long distance
fighting. And once you learn it you can breeze through your bouts with little or no effort.

Section One
How to Create A Super Boxer

In conditioning for a ten-round fight you can whip yourself into tiptop shape hy following this
schedule: Loosen up in one round of shadowboxing. Spar five fast rounds; punch the heavy bag
one round; hit the striking bag one round; skip rope one round; and shadowbox two rounds.
You may rearrange this schedule, add a couple of rounds, work a little more on the bag and less
at sparring or whichever seems to do you more good. However, if you work more Ihan twelve
rounds, the extra rounds are wasted motion.

Illustration 51

After the actual workout you should devote approximately ten minutes to calisthenics. Calis-
thenics or si(ting-up exercises build up your stomach muscles. Illustration 51 is a very good ex-
ercise to strengthen your body. The medicine ball is used by many trainers and is a fairly good
method. You stand facing a partner. The distance may be six feet or more. You throw the ball to
him and he returns it to you. The trick is to let the full force of the ball hit you in the midsection,
ihen grab the ball and bang it hack to the partner. The benefits, if any, arc derived when you
tighten your stomach muscles to avoid getting the wind knocked out of you.

I like the actual punching method to develop a "concrete" belly. You put on large training
zloves, stand toe-to-toe with a spar mate, leave your body wide open, and exchange punches to
:he region of the solar plexus. Don't block any of the blows. Remain relaxed. The only portion
of your body you keep tensed is the midsection. Start with a left uppercut to his body. A split
second later he lands a left to your solar plexus. Then you fire a right to his body. He follows
,vith a right, then a left, then a right, and you faU into a rhythm, picking up momentum and
rower. Thus, you gradually increase your ability to take a body punch. Naturally, you want to
avoid punches, but you must prepare to take it as well as dish it out.

The above body- toughening exercise serves two purposes:

1 . You toughen your body.

2. You develop a relaxed punching rhythm that'll aid you in all phases of slugging.
Illustration 51 shows a good body toughener. You lower your head as close to the floor as

• ou can, then slowly rise to a sitting position. This puts a strain on your stomach muscles and. if
repeated a number of times each day, will give you a strong midsection. If you do not have a

How lo Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

platform of this lype, lie on the floor and do the same exercise. Sit up and lie down. Do it
slowly, taking fifteen seconds to rise and Fifteen seconds to lower your head to the floor. You
can raise and lower your feet in the same manner.

You may wish to include many popular exercises in your calisthenics session. Push-ups, chin-
ning the har, jumping jacks, and deep knee bends are all good and certainly won't hurt you.

You should pay special attention to strengthening your neck muscles. Place a palm on your
forehead, apply pressure, then force your head forward and backward in a nodding gesture.
Grasp your chin with either hand, apply pressure, then turn your head from side to side. Place a
palm under your chin, apply pressure. Ihen raise and lower your head. Alternate these exercises,
and your chin will become solid, your neck strong, and, if and when it happens, you'll be able to
take the heavy punches.

While we're strengthening the chin and neck, I'll mention cuts. Many fights are stopped be-
cause one of the contestants received a gashed eyebrow. If that cut boxer happens to be you and
you happen to be winning at the time, the loss is very discouraging. You, as a super boxer,
should know how to avoid the cuts.

Most of the bleeders are prone to cuts about the eye region. The thin skin and the sharp
bones, plus a slicing punch, tend to cut the weak-skinned boxers. If you are a bleeder, fret no
more. 1 have the answer for you.

A boxing glove, regardless of how fast it is coming, or how slicing the angle, will never cut
the palm of a pick and shovel laborer. So you, as a cut-prone fighter, merely toughen the weak
areas by employing the massage technique.

Of course, you can't use a pick and shovel to toughen skin round your eyes. You can, how-
ever, use your fingertips and/or the hec! of your hand. Massage the weak areas, lightly at first.
Start with ten or twelve revolutions, then daily increase the force and number of times. Soon the
once-thin skin will be thick and impossible to cut.

Gym work is considered a drag by most boxers. It shouldn't be. It should be fun and interest-
ing. To keep it interesting, enter every phase of training by pretending you are competing. Ex-
ample: In shadowboxing imagine you're battling a vicious foe. Every punch you shoot, every
move you make should be designed to cope with an imaginary opponent. I've seen boxers shad-
owboxing and their movements resembled anything but boxing. I can't say what they were
thinking, but I do know that they couldn't have gotten much out of the workout.

If you want to get the most out of shadowboxing, come out of your corner and "see" a dan-
serous foe stalking you. Feint to draw "his" fire, block "his" leads, and counter with the same
precision you expect to use in a real fight. Employ the same caution, fire the same counters, ex-
hibit the same footwork, shoot the same punches, and the overall ring generalship you use in a
rucged contest, and you'll have fun and derive the maximum benefits from the shadowboxing
sessions.

Use the thinking tactics when you punch the heavy bag. Pretend the bag is a champion and
yon want "his" title. Pretend he leads to you, then counter "his" shots. Rake his body from the
belt line to the top of his bead. Work "him" off balance and launch a two-fisted attack. Flick to
"his" body and hook to "his" head. Work combinations. Keep your style and don't get careless.
"He" is a dangerous fighter and is trying to hang a KO on you.

Section One
How to Create A Super Boxer

When you face a spar male in a sparring session, try to outthink him, oulbox him, and practice
making him fight your kind of match. You don't have the pressure on you that you have in an
important fight, so you can think and learn tactics, which will make it easy to win all your fights.

Hitting the striking bag is difficult to associate with boxing, but lo make it interesting I imag-
ine the bag is the head of one of my haled enemies. So I get a kick oul of the fast punches I give
it Of course, I realize Ihe speed bag sharpens my eyes and aids my timing.

Rope-skipping builds leg muscles, helps build stamina, and prepares the balls of the feet to
carry you around the ring in bursts of speed you'll need. I make a game of rope-skipping by con-
sidering it a game of skill. And it is. I dance over the rope with the grace and poise of a profes-
sional tap dancer.

If you turn all phases of your conditioning program into games, you'll enjoy training. It could
cause problems, though. You may tend to overtrain and become stale. Here is how to avoid
staleness: When you know you are doing everything right and feel that you are in top condition,
you have probably reached the peak. If you continue your full training schedule you will become
sluggish and lose your sharpness. So how do you avoid staleness? When you feel the edge com-
ing off your sharpness, take a day or two vacation. If you are of legal age. drink a couple of
beers. Go out with your girlfriend and enjoy yourself. When you return to the gym you'll still be
in good condition but you'll have to work out a couple of days to achieve perfection. What's
more important, you'll be eager to work.

A fighter should regulate his training schedule to reach the peak of condition two or three
days before fight time. Then he should restrict his training to loosening-up exercises. On the day
of his fight he should arise at the regular time, take a short walk and maybe run two or three
hundred yards and take five minutes of dccp-breaihing exercises.

He will enter Ihe ring like a fighting tiger.

now to Relax and Go the Distance

Many beginning boxers find it extremely difficult to go the distance. They can breeze through
fifteen rounds of gym work, and still have enough steam to go ten more. In a fight, though, it's
different. In one or two rounds they are exhausted and can't continue.

The beginners haven't learned how to pace themselves.

Many professionals work no more than ten rounds in preparing for a ten-rounder. They breeze
through the fight without taking a deep breath.

The good pro has learned how to pace himself.

How do the good professionals acquire the ability to fight round after round without gelling
tired? They have learned the arl of relaxing and ihcy never tense up. . . even when the fortunes of
battle are going against them.

The amateurs and beginning pros tense up to the point where it robs Ihem of their true ability.
In fact, they become so tense lhat they can'l fire a decent punch.

Try tensing your body as much as you can, every muscle, and hold it for a full minute. Tired
and beginning to feci ihe pangs of exhaustion? You bet you are. You feel weak and tired. Now
lighten every muscle and iry shadowboxing for a full three-minute round. You'll find it difficult

How !o Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

,„ finish the round. And if you were under .he added tension of fighting before , crowd, the
tiredness would increase several hundred percent. k_j«.

So how do you avoid tension and learn how to pace yourself? How do you develop the ab.Uty
to breeze through ten rounds? Well, friends, it's easy.

How'yfask. can I relax when I have a killing puncher stalking me? It won't come as a gift.
You must work at relaxing and pacing in much the same manner as you do other phases of box-

"practice relaxing when you do roadwork. Relax when you're doing gym work. Especially,
stay oose while you're sparring. Learn to block punches without .igh.cuing the muscles ir, you,
blocking arm until a split second before impact. When you're in a tough sparring sess.on, stay
loose and free of tension. In a real contest, force yourself to relax. _

When a killing puncher is stalking yon, rematn cool. As you retreat hold a defensive stance If
he comers you block his big guns and/or clinch him, but don't wrestle and struggle with him.
Fight in spurts. By that, I mean you can fight hard for ten seconds, then go on a relaxed de en-
live for ten or fifteen seconds. Thus, you gain a res. period and build up the energy to fight

" 8 ™u see signs, bumper stickers, and newspaper ads advising you to think ski season, think
snow, think holiday, think fun, and only God knows what else. In this ease, think cool, relax, and
think how easy it is to breeze through a ten-round fight.

From the day you start .raining to become a boxer, praoice relaxing. When you take a stance
and you feel any muscle tighten, relax it. When you fire a punch keep loose. Don', tighten you,
closed fist until a split second before it crashes to the target.

4sk a sparring partner to work a few rounds throwing punches at you. Don 1 hit back Block.
Practice picking off the blows without tensing up until the moment of contact. Example: You
parry a left jab. Your hand and arm remain relaxed while you're making the pawing sweep, then
Sghten up with jus, enough tension and power to deflect the blow. Then the hand and arm relax
and fall back to the on-guard position.

While you're making the above move you will probably he countering with a left jab. As you
nut tension on your right to deflect his punch, you, jab is shooting toward his chin. »«"*«•>•

w^d The targe,; but the arm, hand. r~' - — "— •«* '—» < '"

deflecting his lead) are relaxed. The

-ul tension on your right to deflect his puncn. you. jao » ,.™.... s ■■■- -— - -.

sard .he targe, bu. the arm, hand, and all portions of your body (except ,he ngh, hand wh ch ,

'- „„- his lead) are relaxed. The fist, arm, shoulder, body, legs and fee.. reman, semi-relaxed

until in a coordinated move, they all stiffen a split second before unpad to produce a potent

P "«uallv when you analyze .11 aspects of pacing, it's easy. You can set your own pace and
probably "shadowbox for .en hours straight. So... wi.h a little practice and .taming you can se,

. - m pace and aclually fight for fifty rounds straight

,ur own pace and actually light lor liny rounus >.,a, E .».

Discard all tensions and relax. Relax while doing roadwork. Relax while skipping tempo.

eta when you punch the heavy bag. Relax through heated sparring sessions. In the battle pit

Relax when \-- r

you relav Lose and discard all lension..
RELAX'

Section One
How to Create A Super Boxer

Strategy — Outthinking Your Adversary

Strategy is extremely important. You must be a master of strategy to gain the rating of Super
Boxer. Even a knockout punch, excellent condition, the ability to pace yourself, and the other
points of boxing are of little value if you don't have a brain. Of course, though, we must assume
that, if you've learned the finer points of boxing, you have a brain. But you have to have more
brainpower than the opposition.

Example: If you arc fighting a foe of equal ability, but he can outthink you, you'll lose. The
answer, of course, is to be sharper than your adversary.

In the first part of this book, I mentioned the Muhammad Ali-Joc Frazicr series. I don't intend
to degrade either of these men. However, as they are current fighters and people remember their
bouts, I shall rehash the fights in order to give you an idea of how strategy could've been used
by each fighter.

Frazier leaped in with a wide left hook for fifteen rounds. Ali did a fair job of blocking the
hook but, in doing so, he left dozens of openings for Frazier. In leaping in with his left, Joe Fra-
zier left himself open for a killing right.

Neither fighter took advantage of the targets presented to him.

Why?

We must assume that the fighters and their comer men were inept in their chosen professions.
You see, Ali knew exactly what Frazier was going to do because he did it continuously for fif-
teen rounds. Frazier knew exactly what Ali was going to do because he did it for fifteen rounds.
\lihough the fighters did not exhibit the class expected of high-caliber boxers, they could use
fa excuse that the heat of battle obliterated their ability lo think. But I can't think of an excuse
-_ir handlers can use. Unless, maybe, it's stupidity.

Let us assume that you are a Super Boxer and you're boxing Joe Frazier in the contest men-
• ned above. It takes less than an ounce of strategy to figure what to do. Frazier is like a

- und-up toy. He isn't trying to be deceptive. His left hook comes at you and you know it's
. i\% to recoil and come again. So you time your countering right to crash into his body or jaw

- hfc his hook is a foot from your head.

Bam! A possible knockout. If not a complete finisher, your punch will set him up for the
-.cher. And you have nothing to worry about, because Joe's wide left will be coming at you
. j^lji and again and again, in the same way.
How that you've licked Frazier in the imaginary fight, you take Joe's side and go after Ali. So
. bang away with the wound-up left hook. Ali blocks it. You fire a dozen more hooks and he
. ^> each in the same way. And each time he blocks a hook he turns his entire body to his left

- Ms richt forearm catches the zooming hook. And each lime he is giving you a clean shot from

- belt line to his forehead. So you start the same old left hook, and Ali shifts the same way to
.k it. but you have given yourself the proper leverage for the hardest right you ever fired.
. land the right to his exposed chin. And if it doesn't knock him out, it'll weaken him to the

- .-.: where a fast blitz will finish him.

r :rtunately for you, many fights won't require any more thinking to figure out than the
.- er-Ali fights. But occasionally you'll meet a boxer who requires real deception to make him

How lo Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

give you the opening for your big guns. So you outthink him and employ strategy to make him
shoot the type of punches you want to counter. Example: If you want to knock him out with a
left hook to the jaw, don't use the punch for a round or two- Shoot powerful straight lefts to the
body and chin. Especially work on the body. Each time you drive the left into the solar plexus
region, he feels it and he doesn't like it. He'll start dropping his hands in an effort to protect his
middle. When he gives you a clean shot to the right side of his jaw, it's time to act. You feint
(fake) a straight left to the belt line, but actually you're giving yourself the leverage to fire the
hardest left hook ever invented. So you shoot the hook and you have a good chance of scoring a
knockout.

Feinting is an important pan of strategy. You fake your foe out of line by pretending to attack
one area but, instead, you land elsewhere. Example: You shoot two or three punches to the
head, then you give all indications that you intend to fire the same type punch, and when your
foe moves to block Lhe bogus attack, you shoot to his exposed body. Wham! A possible knock-
out.

Most boxers develop a pattern of fighting that is easy to read. They lead the same way. Their
blocking never varies. They react to any given situation in the same way. In effect, they are ro-
bots or like trained animals. They are similar lo a dog you've trained to chase and bring back a
ball. You throw the ball and the dog runs and gets it. From the moment the ball leaves your hand
until the dog brings it back, you can do any number of things. In boxing it's the same. Of course,
though, your reaction must be in split seconds to counter the moves of a boxing opponent.

Let us imagine that every time you fire a straight left, your foe slips to the right and shoots a
punishing right to your heart. So you trap him by countering his right counter. You deliberately
telegraph your left. Pretend you arc setting for a piledriving straight left, but actually you're set-
ting yourself to trap the man. When your telegraphed left starts, the foe, with great confidence,
will slip to his left and fire his countering right. That's when you make your move. You can
block his right in a number of ways or you can counter with an assortment of punches. As a rule,
he thinks he's in no danger and his overconfidence and carelessness will give you a chance to
land a KO wallop.

If you've never seen the opposition before, it'll require a couple of rounds to figure him out. If
you have an opportunity to watch him fight before you meet him, you can analyze his style. You
can determine if he's a robot, a thinker, or what. You can have him defeated before you enter
the ring. Of course, though, when you plot a fight in advance, have two or three alternate plans.
While I was athletic director at a base in New Guinea, a fighter awaiting assignment wrecked
my fighting squad. He knocked opponents out in sparring sessions, and he flattened them in ring
competition. His reputation grew, and it was only natural that I would have to tame him or make
worthless and cowardly excuses.

I stalled for a couple of weeks to increase the interest, but I wasn't worried. I had analyzed his
style and saw a half dozen ways to beat him. As things turned out, I never did get to clobber him
in a contest. During a gym session he made an arrogant challenge I couldn't refuse. He had just
flattened two spar mates when I arrived at the scene. He challenged me, but I didn't want to
work at the time and 1 told him so. He showed his contempt by mimicking the praise he'd heard
sailors give me: 'Thomas is tougher ihan loe Louis. Champ Thomas licked a hundred and six
men without taking a rest. He's the greatest. Yeah, but he don't have the guts to spar with me.
No guts, huh?"

Section One
How to Create A Super Boxer

Nonchalantly I glanced at my watch. "I've got two minutes. It's enough tunc." I kept my
voice cool. My actions indicated that I didn't intend to get up a sweat. I merely intended to give
a student a few pointers. I didn't bother to put on my gym clothes.

At the call of time we shifted to the center of the ring. I feinted with a left, then shot a crush-
ing right to his side, followed it with a hook to the jaw, and the man fell as if he had been struck
by lightning. 1 got out of the ring and continued my routine athletic chores.

The incident enhanced my reputation. The hundred people who saw the knockout spewed the
facts. And, of course, each time they told the story it got bigger and better. But no one knew the
planning I put into the victory, or just how I accomplished it. Over the next year I heard a hun-
dred versions of how it happened. Not one version was totally true.

After watching John Pride stop his first victim 1 had his number. He always stalled until his
opponent tried a left, then he would unleash one of the slickest one-two combinations I've ever
seen. As his opponent's left lead shot toward him. Pride fired a killing left hook and followed It
with an equally killing right cross. The punches were hard, fast, and if they didn't end the fight
they left the victim helpless. Ending the fight was no problem for Pride after he landed those first
two punches. After watching him win two fights I knew he'd be easy for me. How did I plot my
victory? Well, 1 figured he was so used to the two punches winning his fights that he didn't give
thought to anything else. So here's how I planned it and won the fight:

I knew how he would react. I stabbed the left he expected. Actually, though, I was set to fire
a killing right and follow it with a jaw-breaking left hook. As 1 feinted with my left, he fired his
left hook, but I was ahead of him with my right to his exposed left side. My powerful right, cou-
pled with the forward lunge of his body, broke one rib, and my follow-up 'left knocked out four
teeth.
Pride never fought again.

Similar incidents are common. I've prcplotted dozens of victories for myself and my students.
It worked for me and it'll work for you. It'll take a little practice and experience, but you'll be
surprised at how soon you learn to analyze a fighter and make him give you the openings for
your punches.

Deliberately missing a punch is a deceptive method of setting up your opponent for the "kill."
Example: Miss a wide left hook and pretend to be off balance. Actually, though, your feet arc
-et and you're in position to execute any type of move. However, your foe thinks you are open
for the kill. As a result, he forgets defense and puts all his power into what he believes will be his
finishing blast. In throwing caution to the winds, he leaves himself open for any number of
counter shots. And, as you are set for any eventuality, you beat him to the punch with your
knockout bombs.

Illustration 52 demonstrates an exaggerated follow-through. Notice how the boxer on the left

-?pears to be off balance and a "dead duck," so to speak. Let's analyze his position. At first

dance he appears to be off balance. Actually he is set to do anything he desires. His eye is on his

pponent. Both fists are cocked. His feet are set to punch, move in and out, or sidestep.

Illustration 52 was posed to demonstrate the follow-through on a left hook. I decided to use it

IS an example for a missed punch. Actually, when you miss a punch, your opponent will be in a

:htly more aggressive position than the boxer illustrated on the right. However, the boxer on

_ left can beat him to the punch.

How lo Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

Illustration 53 demonstrates how the boxer on the left completes his planned operation. From
his Illustration 52 position his left erupts in a gigantic flicking drive to his foe's jaw (Illustration
53). Notice how the attacking boxer is in command of the situation. His right hand is cocked and
it has a dozen targets. Also notice the position of his feet. They are perfect. Should the fortunes
of war suddenly change for him, his feet won't lei him down.

It's almost impossible for a fighter to be perfect in the strategy department. Sometimes he will
become so intent on plotting that he fails to see simple mistakes being committed by his foe.
That's where a competent trainer and corner man is worth his weight in gold. The trainer, like a
military general, mentally outmancuvers the opposition, then directs his man to an easy victory.

Of course, though, you must know every punch and every way to use it. Then you can take
advantage of every opportunity.

Management

Alter you learn boxing from A to Z and back again, and attain perfect physical condition, yon
aren't guaranteed success in boxing. It takes more than boxing perfection to project you to the
pinnacle of pugilism. You must have a smart and capable manager to maneuver you over and
around the obstacles, and to obtain the "right" fights for you.

Unfortunately, boxing has no set rule forcing a champion to fight the number one contender.
And often the number one contender falls far short of being the most competent fighter in the
weight division. Slick managers and promoters maneuver and manipulate boxers like a puppet-
eer controlling his subjects.

Managers like trainers, come in the kindergarten, high school, college, professional, and super
professional classes. In today's closed circuit television and multimillion-dollar fight promotions,

Section One
How to Create A Super Boxer

settle for nothing less than a professional manager. Preferably, sign with a SUPER
PROFESSIONAL.

What should you look for in a manager? How do you recognize a super professional? How do
you know he will work for your interest? You can tell something about a manager by his past
record. However, it is often difficult to separate the facts from the fiction in a manager's record.
Luck and breaks often play a big part in the success of any operation, and that includes manag-
ing a fighter. Being in the right place at the right time makes the difference. After you've deter-
mined that a manager is indeed a super pro, there is no guarantee that he will even try to do the
same for you that he has for others. So... it becomes a bit of a gamble.

Any manager worthy of the name should know the fight business. More important, though, he
should have the connections or know how to develop the connections to give YOU an advan-
tage over all opposition. He should have the business sense to get the most money for your fistic
efforts. He should be a good PR man and strive to make your name a worldwide household
word.

Managers, even the good ones, sometimes resemble doctors in a charity ward. They eye their
fighters as if they arc animals and think only of the dollars they can make. That type of manager
will sell you down the river and never suffer one pang of regret.

Promoters have fight programs to present. If they see more dollars in matching you with a
man who has too much experience, they won't hesitate to do so. If it's in the promoter's interest
to crucify you, he'll do it. It's up to your manager to protect you and work for your interest. He
should sign for fights in which you have, at least, a fifty-fifty chance of winning.

My advice is to accept nothing less than a professional manager, then watch him to ensure that
he's working for your interest. And if you've learned your lessons well and contribute your
share to the fighter- manager agreement, nothing will prevent you from becoming "champion of
the world."

Self-Defense

Most of the boxing tactics I've described can be employed by you in defense against a mug-
ger. Even if you dislike boxing, knowing how to defend yourself can. in certain situations, save
your life. And it requires very little training to learn enough boxing to give you an advantage
over an unsuspecting attacker. You can develop the defensive tactics, practicing alone, in your

Even though most of the lessons herein will be valuable to you, devote special attention to the
footwork Illustrations and the stance Illustrations. The developing power Illustrations starting
•a ith the left jab (#46) will guide the way to building power for the defense moves. But the side
>tep shown in IlJustrations 8, 9. and 10 is probably the most valuable "goody" in your defensive
s ag of tricks.

How can the side step help you?

Let us assume that you're a petite female. A mugger or a rapist is preparing to grab you. As
:ne blessed with defensive knowledge, you automatically shift into a solid boxing stance (sec

How to Be An Ass -Whipping Boxer

Illustrations 1 , 2, and 4). When the attacker pounces, you evade him by sidestepping as shown in
Illustrations 8, 9, and 10.

The side step has worked for me in hundreds of bouts and sparring sessions. In one street en-
counter in Sydney it saved me from harm and maybe death. My argument with an Australian
soldier had provoked him to the point of violence. He broke a Scotch bottle he was carrying and
rammed the jagged end at me. In a reflex move, I sidestepped, and the enraged man stabbed a
brick storefront. The force of his lunge converted him into a human torpedo, and the crash and
shattering glass reduced him to a bleeding nothing. I could've pulverized him but I didn't have
the heart to attack a helpless man. I shrugged and walked away from the scene.

This side step can be of aid to you in many situations. Let's say you're home alone and you
admit a man (for any reason) and he turns out to be a rapist. He stalks you and you retreat.
When he makes his grab, you side-step, and he lunges head-on into the wall or some other solid
background. Your unexpected move will befuddle and slow the culprit long enough for you to
escape.

If you have enough time, run io the apartment hall or to the street and scream. Keep scream-
ing and running until you get help. If you don't have time to get out of your house, run to an-
other room and lock yourself in. Arm yourself with a weapon. Then launch a counterattack if he
breaks in.

Are you wondering what you can use as a weapon? Well, there arc many objects in every
room of the house, which in emergency conditions, will serve as effective weapons. A heavy
ashtray, a broken bottle, a metal statue, or any object with a blunt edge, can be used with deadly
effect.

In a newspaper account I read that a sixty-fivc-year-old woman cut a ten-stitch gash in a purse
snatcher's check. Her weapon — a metal-plastic eyeglass case. In another newspaper reported
incident, a twelve-year-old schoolgirl stopped a fiendish attacker by "stabbing" him in the face
with her hard-covered notebook. One of my young students stopped a strange loverboy by
shoving the hard comer of a paperback book at his leering face.

I cite the above examples to give you a rough idea of the range of weapons you can use. Oth-
ers might include such items as: ballpoints, pins, cigarette cases, drinking glasses, dishes, finger-
nail files, and dozens of other blunt instruments.

But your physical weapons, if you develop them and mentally prepare to use them, will save
you ninety percent of the time. A stiff left jab, especially when delivered unexpectedly, will stop
a ruffian long enough for you to make your getaway. And if you develop left-jabbing class and
power as described in this book, you can actually knock out rugged males.

You see, a female with fistic ability, has a big advantage. The average male is convinced that a
female can't do any more than make a feeble protest. And in most cases, the females "will" and
an aggressive eight-year-old child could walk all over them. Therefore, the mugger and/or rapist
does not expect formidable opposition from the victim.

Well. I have news for the fiends. I trained and managed women athletes for a number of years.
They learn fast and, as a rule, they retain what they learn. Most of my women boxers and wres-
tlers advanced to the point where they could defeat the average man on the street. 1 can cite
dozens of examples in which my female athletes proved they could take care of themselves.
However, the incident involving Joanic and Buck is my favorite.

Section One
How to Create A Super Boxer

When Joanie came to my wrestling school she told me she wanted to learn boxing and self-
defense. She was an eager student and she got a bit more of my time than some of the less ag-
gressive ones. I appreciate good students, and Joanie was good. I never had to explain a pointer
more than once. She devoted many hours of homework to perfect the things 1 taught her. Her
enthusiasm pleased me and reassured me that anyone can learn if he/she wants to.

Joanie didn't waste too much time before she used her boxing knowledge. Her boyfriend
Buck gave me the story. He was an amateur boxer who was flirting with the idea of taming pro.
But Joanie ruptured his ego and discouraged his plans.

Buck explained how Joanie "retired" him. "We were foolin' around and I slapped her. I don't
know how she did it but she clobbered me. My open hand had barely touched her face when 1
realized 1 was flat on my face on her living room floor. Before I could get up. she had returned
with the apartment manager and he threw me out. Now Joanie refuses to see me. She did tell me
on the phone that you taught her bow to defend herself. Well, I was wondering if you could
teach me how to punch like that?" He shrugged lamely. "But if a girl can lick me — "

I assured Buck that it wasn't a disgrace to get flattened by one of my female protegees. Joanie
had caught him by surprise just as she would' ve done a rapist or a mugger. Buck, or any other
male, wouldn't have expected such a devastating attack from a sexy, fragile- looking female like
Joanie. The surprise and ferociousness of her counterattack would've stopped any unsuspecting
male.

When T asked Joanie about the tight, she said: "Buck got fresh, and when 1 wouldn't give in.
he slapped me. Then he reached for me. His chin was there and I hit it with the left and right you
taught me. He went down. I ran and got the manager. I knew Buck would recover and want re-
venge. I had no intention of exchanging punches with him." She giggled. 'Those punches
■Aorked just like you said they would."

I hadn't seen Martha for more than live years. Her call from California came as a pleasant sur-
prise. I was especially pleased when she said she called to thank me for teaching her defensive
•jctics thai saved her life. She had escaped from a rapist by employing what 1 call "the eye rip-

1 had never used the "eye ripper" or had one of my students report using it. I visualized it as a
-jspcratc measure to use when an attacker had you pinned down, against the wall, or was
.no king you. I always insisted that my students practice it and perfect it. They'd start with the
.::ackcr choking the victim with both hands. The victim would bring both hands over the at-
■eker's arms, dig thumbs along the bridge of his nose into his eyes, then rip out. In the next ex-
--.lse the attacker would throw down the vicitim and pin him/her to the mat. Then the victim
■ uld bring the thumbs into play. Of course, the victim couldn't use full force in the workout.
- a ever, I did give them exercises to strengthen their thumbs. One was to dig their thumbs into
. aches, bedding, and other semi-soft objects, and practice getting force into the move.

Martha said she came out of a supermarket at ten p.m. and got into her car for the ten-block
_■ :s to her home. She had gone three blocks when a man sprang up from the back seat floor
. ■ . shoved a blade against her throat. He forced her to drive to a deserted area and stop the car.
~- :~i he ordered her to gel in Ihc back seat. To try and throw him off guard she decided to "play
- ::> him." She told him that she wanted to enjoy wha! he was going to do. He wasn't entirely
_• :n in by her attitude but he put his knife on the floor and prepared to ravish her. In an affec-

How lo Be An Ass- Whipping Boxer

lionate gesture she slid bolh hands up under his cheeks. Then she sprang her surprise. Both of
her thumbs dug deep into his eyes and, with all her force, she ripped out.

"My back against the scat gave me the leverage to put plenty of power on my thumbs," she
said. "When I ripped out 1 felt his eyeballs explode. He screamed. Oh, how he screamed. Both of
his hands shol to his face in an effort to stop the pain. For a moment he forgot me and what he
had been trying to do. It gave me time to scramble out from under him, open the door, and do a
snake-type wiggle out of the car. I landed on my face in mud and gravel, but I was free. I ran to
the nearest house and the kind people called the police. The cops caught the man at the car. He
couldn't sec and he wanted to go to a hospital.

"He told the police that he had intended to kill me. But I suppose they'll let him go free. Well,
1 guess he has received his. He lost the sight of one eye and the vision in the other one was cut
to twenty percent. I guessed I ripped too fast. Should've put more power into my gouging
thumbs."

Martha is thirty and weighs about a hundred and thirty. Her assailant weighed two hundred.
But she used force and overpowered him. And she thanked me for teaching her how to do it.

Let us hope that you will never fall into a situation requiring force to defend yourself. But it is
wise to prepare for such a predicament. If nothing else, knowing you can "take care of yourself'
will give you the confidence to cope with unpleasant situations.

You can learn as much boxing as you want to and develop it as much as you like. Or you can
develop just enough boxing skill to defend yourself in emergencies. The route you choose is up
to you. Five or ten minutes of practice now and then will keep you sharp and ready to surprise
any attacker.

Wrap-Up

Study this book. It'll always be useful. I advise trainers to pirate as much of the material as
you want. Call it your invention if you desire. If you're interested in defense only, you'll find
plenty of it in these pages. If you're an aspiring boxer the lessons in this book are invaluable.
Devour the contents herein. But, after you've perfected the punches and moves I've described,
don't stop seeking fistic knowledge. You'll find many teachers. You'll learn from experience.

No two fighters are alike and they seldom do anything the same way. The punches and moves
described in these pages may be executed slightly differently by each boxer. People have individ-
ual fingerprints, and boxers have individual styles. And you, as a super boxer, will learn from the
"individual touch" of each opponent. You'll sec good moves that'll work for you. All you'll
have to do is give "his" move a personal twist and it becomes "your" property.

The important thing for you is to do your best. Improve. Strive for perfection, then better it.
Ever, time you enter a ring to fight or spar... learn. Shoot your punches faster. Harder. Improve
your defense. Learn from the successes and mistakes of your adversaries.

Your opponents will make excellent moves and they'll make bad moves. They'll show you
manv things vou'll be able to convert to youi own use. You'll see men attempting action, which
proves to be disastrous for them. But you'll be able to put your own "touch" on their mistakes
and turn them into successes for you. Of course, though, you'll see dozens of mistakes you'll
want to avoid. The important point: Keep learning and keep improving.

Section One
How to Create A Super Boxer

\nd when you reach the pinnacle of pugilism, don't think you know it all. They say you
- jldn't knock success, and they have a point, bui many successful boxers don't know very
--.eh about iheir spoil. Many champions have acquired titles because they were blessed with
Jiiimalistic fighting instincts... and a slick manager. Those champions, although they're sitting at
the top, could pick up poinicrs from a skillful amateur. And ihose champions, had they learned
boxing as you are doing, would go down in history as GREAT CHAMPIONS instead of just
champions.

Although you may not make every move as I've described it in ihcse lessons, this training
manual is a very important guideline for you. I've given perfect examples... now it's your job to
>urpass the perfection herein.

When you've battled your way to the pinnacle of pugilism and wear the crown of "World
Champion," and you attribute your success to the lessons you've learned in this book, I'll be
pleased. If you're a person who enjoyed reading these pages. I'll feel thai my writing is worth-
while. If you're defense -minded and these lessons; gave you confidence to face the future, I'm
convinced I made a constructive contribution. If you're a trainer who "knows" you can teach
boxing better "your way," and you attempt to prove ii and do a better job of training your box-
ers, then I'll be happy I wrote How to Create A Super Boxer.

Good luck to each and every one of you.

Section Two

Boxing's Stonewall
Defense

Introduction

Having dealt with most of the basics of boxing in How to Create A Super Boxer, Champ
next decided to help Ihc growing list of students of the Thomas Technique with the
"defense" part of their self-defense. Knowing from experience thai a boxer must not only
throw good punches but avoid being punched as well. Champ developed what he called the
"Stonewall Dclense." Based on stance, glove positioning and "strategic counier punches,"
Champ published Boxing 's Stonewall Defense in 1978.

Champ called this book his "gift" to his readers, since he was sharing the result of many
hours of boxing experience with them. He told students of the Thomas Technique that the
information in this book was so powerful that all they needed to do was combine the
information in this book with their own desire and determination and they would "...be on
the cinch route to boxing success."

See if you don't agree.

Section Two
Boxing 's Stonewall Defense

The Manly Art of Self-Defense

Boxing used lo be called the "Manly Art Of Self-Defense." hut you seldom hear that term
nowadays. It seems that people no longer consider boxing (or fist fighting) a method of de-
fense. That could be because the news media has downgraded boxing and glamorized karate
and other Asian tactics as the only way to defend. But the fact is... clever boxing surpasses
any other method of self-defense.

Every individual should learn a certain amount of defense. And. when possible, cultivate
methods lo conduct armed and unarmed defense action. 1 intend to write a book in which I
teach usabie defensive tricks to everyone... even the weak, the aged, and the crippled. But
that book will come later. Boxing's Stonewall Defense and How To Win Willi Strategic
Counter Punches will make a minor contribution to general personal defense. However, it's
mainly for boxers, trainers, instructors, coaches, managers, and all students of boxing.

During my many years in the fight game I've heard boxing people, from the kindergarten
types to the experienced pros, say: "If they can't hit you, they can't hurt you." There's a lot
of truth in that statement but 1 haven't heard many trainers stressing defense. They jabber like
a crazy parrot: "Move! Move! Jab! In the belly! Watch his right! Watch his right! Stick!
Stick!" On and on it goes. And the "coaches" give more aid to the opposition than they do to
their own fighters.

Many trainers maintain that the best defense is a good offense. That's great if your man has
more firepower than his opponent. But if an inferior fighter tries to out-gun a stronger and
tougher adversary, most likely the inferior boxer will receive a bloody licking.

Muhammad Ali has done a great deal to popularize the stand-up. cover-up style of defense.
He has been fairly successful with it. However, he hasn't met any good infighters. A rugged
brawler, who doesn't worry about breaking arms, could make Ali discard his ropey dopey
defense. Fortunately for Ali, he never met a fighter who could take advantage of Ali's dead
duck defense.

In training and teaching a fighter I spend as much time on defense as I do on offense. In
fact, I stress the defense-counter- lighting mix. If you can block your opponent's punches,
Then land your counter shots, you'll win. And that's what this book teaches you to do.

Maxie Roscnbloom told me that he liked his slapping defense because it prevented the
foe's punches from landing. "If I can make the guy miss, then land one slap, I'm ahead of the

I

How to Be An Ass- Whipping Boxer

game. If I rated any one point as a fighter's most valuahlc asset... it would be defense." He
also agreed with my claim that trainers don't pay enough attention to defense. Since Rosen-
bloom won a world championship, it's obvious his defensive style paid off for him.

Although my stonewall defense didn't win a world title for me, it carried me through thou-
sands of gym wars. The stonewall was especially helpful to me when I sparred with up to fifty
sailors a day when I was navy athletic director. You see, I was attempting to leach without
destroying. My stonewall defense kept me in control in the workout and teaching sessions.
While in full control, I could teach effectively without discouraging my students.

I first got the '"defense bug" when 1 was fifteen years old and a terror of the bootleg ama-
teur bouts in the southwest. After an especially tough week in which I fought fifteen times,
the hundreds of punches I'd caught left a permanent storm in my head. One of my trainers
gave me some pretty good advice. He said, "Looky here, kid, you're a catcher. You had fif-
teen bouts this week and I ain't seen you duck one punch. It might not be so bad if you
fought once or twice a month. But twice a night... even three and four times in a night, and
catching all them punches... boy! You're gonna wind up being a punch drunk stumble bum."

"But I won twelve of the fifteen bouts." I pointed out in a defensive way. "Golly. I won
more'n I lost."

The old timer scratched his head. "I don't know about you, boy. But... just make sure you
duck some of them punches. Duck, block, run, stay home, quit fighting, something. But make
sure you don't get hit so damned much. You've seen of Tex, haven't you?"

Tex was the worst of all the punchies in that area. He was a pitiful case and, thinking of
him convinced me that I should avoid punishment. So I got busy and pestered all the trainers
in my search for defensive knowledge. As usual, the variety of teachers did a great deal to
confuse me. Seems like every trainer had a different idea of defense... most of them worth-
less.

I lost a lot of fights while I was trying to learn a good defense. Finally, though, after about
five or ax years of trying. I perfected a fair defense. I've devoted many years and added
much to my defensive style. It's the finest in boxing. At least, many boxing experts have la-
beled it the best. And many of my opponents have called me "The Wall", so 1 guess that I'm
not the only one who considers it the best. The defense I devoted many years to perfecting is
the "Boxine'i Stonewall Defense" I'm presenting in this book. Right now I don't know how
many pages I'll write, but I'll give you enough copy and the illustrations to make the combi-
nation of defense and counter punching pay off for you.

The amount you pay for these pointers will be nothing compared to the blood I gave to
learn them. Unlike my expensive and painful struggle to learn, you can pay a few dollars to
avoid the hit-or-miss route I took. If I could've bought these pointers, as you are doing, it
wouidve saved me many beatings, several losses, and hundreds of dollars.

Recenth in a gym I boxed four rounds with a young fellow. I moved at an even pace,
mostly on the defensive, but firing enough punches to control the workout. The youngster
was amazed that an "Oldie" like me could still move through one round. Four rounds floored
the guy.

Section Two
Boxing 's Stonewall Defense

He said, "I didn't hit you with a solid punch. You didn't hurt mc with your punches, but
you gave me a sort of helpless feeling. I'd give a hundred bucks to learn how to block and
punch like you do."

1 told him that 1 was planning to write this book and that he could learn my technique for a
few doLiars. And when he asked me for the exact amount the book would cost him, T assured
him that it wouldn't cost more than twenty dollars.

"Great!" he said, almost shouting the word. "My last manager cut me several thousand
dollars in seventeen fights. And you know something? He didn't teach mc a damn thing. If I
learn one thing out of your book... it'll be more than my last three trainers have taught me."

His sincerity inspired me to haul out my typewriter and start working on this manual.

What is Defense?

Boxing defense is "anything (o avoid punishment." This, of course, doesn't mean that
keeping out of a fight is the type of defense I'm talking about. And "stonewall" as I use it
doesn't mean that you are completely obliterated by a shield. But. Boxing's Stonewall De-
fense is as close to being behind a wall as your physical structure w ill permit.

Before going any further let me point out some of the conventional defense tactics. Block-
ing, ducking, slipping punches, and dancing out of range are a few of the well-known meth-
ods of defending oneself. Versions of the above tactics are used in my "stonewall" but they
aren't considered part of it.

A must, if you expect to emerge victorious, is countering. This book presents a combina-
tion of defense and counter. I think of Boxing 's Stonewall Defense, and How To Win With
Strategic Counter Punches... as an army tank wilh several heavy caliber machine guns, fight-
ing a lone soldier with a small caliber machine gun.

I first thought of calling my solid defense a "stonewall" when I was serving as an athletic
director in New Guinea. One of the bouts I matched, upset one of the participants. He was
sure that I had over-matched him. "Damn it to hell. Champ," he moaned. 'The guy'll kill me.
If I had a stonewall defense like you got, at least I wouldn't get hurl. The way i fight, that
stupid Seabcc will slaughter me."

1 gave him my best sales pitch and conned him into fighting, and he won. The fight wasn't
worth remembering, but the "stonewall" stuck wilh mc and I started using it as the tag for my
special defense. And the comments I heard every time I fought or sparred, inspired me to ex-
periment and increase the solidncss of the defense.

As thousands of sailors staged through my base every month, 1 had plenty of rugged oppo-
nents to test all my defensive ideas. And, as plenty of ranking fighters were in the service at
lhat time, I had the world's best to test me.

One 10-round fighter worked two rounds wilh me, then stood for a minute or two with a
puzzled frown on his face. "Champ," he said slowly, "where in the hell did you get that
guard? I've never seen anything like it."

"You have a reputation as a knockout puncher," 1 reminded him. "Blast your way through
my stonewall."

V

How to Be An Ass- Whipping Boxer

"I tried ihat," he grunted. "I hit you with my best punch. You just grinned and nearly
knocked me on my ass with a right. How the hell can you punch with thai right? You got it
up there in front of your face, like a catcher's mitt, then you hit me with it and I thought I'd
had it. Show me how you throw Ihat punch, huh? Show me how you punch like hell from
that cover up, huh?"

In this book I will teach you what that sailor (and pro fighter) found so unusual. However,
before I get into the lessons, I'd like to tell you of a session I had with a student a few
months ago. I hadn't taught him any of my defensive skills, but he was a natural fighter. He
was strong and could punch, and he found it difficult to understand how a sixty-year-old man
could stand up to his power.

1 explained to the young man that I am of the opinion that knowledge has no equal. He
wasn't certain that he wanted to become a pro-fighter. He was seeking information to help
him in his sport of street fighting. You see, he belonged lo a "motorcycle gang" that was on a
war footing with several other gangs.

After I taught him how to completely incapacitate any and all opposition, I mentioned that
I planned to write a book giving nothing but "death tactics." He responded with an offer to
become my first customer for the book. He handed me a twenty-dollar bill, and I gave it back
to him. explaining that I was busy writing this book.

He thought about it for a moment, then said, "What happens when two guys with stonewall
defenses meet in a bout?"

I told him what I'll tell you. It becomes a battle of wils. Up until the release of this book I
have reserved all my stonewall knowledge for myself. Oh, I dropped a tidbit now and then,
but mainly I keep the best stuff for me. Up until about a year ago I was an active participant
and my defense was something 1 didn't want to share. Now, though, as father time sneaks up
on me, I've decided to share my bag of tricks with those who seek knowledge.

As far as I know there isn't a single boxer who employs a defense as successfully as I do.
But I know exactly how I'd fight a guy who copied my style. First, my ego would tell me that
he couldn't be quite as formidable as I am in overall tactics. I'd figure that his inferior style
would make him easy for me.

I mention the above confidence bit because I believe that it's extremely important for you
lo build up superior confidence. However, always be prepared to accept the possibility that
you can "bite off more than you can chew." In that case, it's always good to have a big bag
of tricks. Just because an opponent is a little loo much in one area, ii doesn't mean thai he
can lick you. Dig down in your fistic arsenal and call out your reserve power. If you don't
have a fistic arsenal, now is a good time to build one. And Boxing 's Stonewall Defense is a
good place to start.

now to Build the Stonewall

The stonewall defense is actually your hands, your shoulders, and your solid stance. Of
course, your brain, as it does in any area of life, must function alertly. Your eyes must be
open at all times to spot the openings to trigger your reflexes and fire the counter shots to

Sec lion Two

Bn.xint,' '.v Stonewall Dcfcnsr

give you the winning edge. Because, regardless of how solid your cover (stonewall) is, you
must fire enough punches to either stop your opponent or outpoint him. In this chapter we'll
concentrate on building the "stonewall."

illustration 54

Illustration 55

Illustrations 54 and 55 give you a view of Iwo well-known cover-ups. These cover-ups
have worked well for many fighters, and they can, at times, do ajob for you. However, in my
opinion they are far inferior to the "stonewall defense." I will not define the difference other
than to say that the cover-ups shown in Illustrations 54 and 55 do not leave the flexibility to
do much more than merely cover up.

I do not favor covering up (to avoid punishment) as many lighters do. The only time I rec-
ommend a cover-up is to give you enough time to clinch your opponent and temporarily
eliminate his ability to punch.

Illustration 56

How to Be An nss-Whipping Boxer

What makes the stonewall defense ihe best? Better than trying to tell you, I'll show you.
Illustrations 56 and 57 demonstrate the basic stonewall defense. The models in these
illustrations may appear to be a bit awkward. However, their "cover" is as good or better
than Illustrations 54 and 55 show, yet Illustrations 56 and 57 give a boxer the flexibility to
move in any direction and to punch from any angle.

In the following chapter I will demonstrate how to counter any punch from the basic
stonewall defense (Illustrations 56 and 57). The shoulder of the mode! in Illustration 56
appears to be a bit low, giving a clean shol at his upper jaw and temple. However, to avoid
any serious punishment, the fighter elevates his left shoulder and blocks any lead from the
opposition.

Illustration 58 gives you a clear view of how you will look to your adversary. Notice how
your feet are in position to move you in any direction. You are covered perfectly, and can fire
any type of punch.

The model in Illustration 59 has shifted his protecting right glove off his forehead to show
you why and how he is safe from right-hand shots, left jabs, and other punches. When he
shifts the right glove back four inches and lets the knuckles rest on his right brow, he has a
perfect stonewall defense.

Illustration 60 gives you a close-up of how you will look to your opponent. Your right
glove and left shoulder arc in perfect position. Your left glove is about four inches too low
but it still doesn't leave much of a target for ten-ounce gloves. If you raise the edge of the left
glove up to the cuff of the right glove, you have a perfect stonewall defense. It gives your
opponent an impossible target. When you learn how to counter, which you will in the next
chapter, you will become a champion.

In contrast to Illustration 60, Illustration 61 shows you how the average opponent will
look to vou. A few fighters will offer tighter "on guard" stances than this, but others will be

Section Two
Boxing 's Stonewall Defense

wider. At times, even the cautious boxers get careless and give you more open targets than
the Illustration 61 model is offering.

If you're still wondering how the stonewall works for you. check Illustration 62. The
opposition rams a powerful left, but he can't blast through the defense.
Why? As you can see, the stonewall has saved the day for you.

Illustration 63

In Illustration 63 the opposition follows up with a thundering right uppercut. Again... he is
foiled. He comes right back with a left hook in Illustration 64. It is blocked... not blocked by

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

any extra movement, but stopped by the natural stonewall defense. Notice how the defender
(vou) has his left shoulder, his left glove, and his right glove in the basic stonewall?

Illustration 65 shows the reason you have no fear of a left hook. The attack boxer has gone
wide with his hook, but he can't get to your jaw. And notice... he has left himself open for
your best shots. You can stop him without exerting yourself.

Illustration 66

Illustration 67

Illustration 66 demonstrates a fault many of my students suffer. In learning the stonewall
defense, thev have a tendency to turn a bit too far to their own right. This often entices the
cuties to go for a back shot. In the Illustration 66 demonstration, the attack boxer does not

Section Two
Boxing 's Stonewall Defense

land a punch. Instead, his wrist is connecting with your elbow. In similar shots I've had two
men break their arms when their wrists collided with the sharp point of my elbow.

In Illustration 66 the model has deliberately raised his elbow and turned a bit too far to his
right, giving a kidney target to his opponent.

In many years of employing the stonewall defense I've had but one boxer land a good
punch to my kidney. It didn't hurt much but it did damage my pride. It embarrassed me to
have a man penetrate any area of my defense. I got mad as hell. And my anger made me feel
justified in taking drastic measures. I gave him a slashing right across his mouth and nose.
The referee took one look at his busted lip and broken nose, then stopped the fight.

A powerful left uppcrcut is blocked in Illustration- 67. Again, you might think that the
attack boxer can land on your right ear. However, if he attempted to do so, he would put
himself at a disadvantage. In this illustration you can see many open targets the attack boxer
has left you. His entire right side is open. You can land a left hook, left uppcrcut, left jab.
And notice that your right is much closer 1o his jaw than his right is to your jaw. You can
land a killing right to his exposed jaw.

Illustration 69

Illustration 68 gives you the stonewall at its best. The man employing the stonewall, (you),
doesn't offer a single opening. He has blocked a powerful punch. He can block, without
moving an inch, any punch the opposition fires. But the real beauty is that you can land a
number of counter shots... any one of which might end the fight. In case the attack boxer
wants to follow with his right, you are in a position to beat him to the punch with a flicking
left, a left hook, a right, or any one of several punches. Or... you can rest and block his right
as shown in Illustration 69. Why not? The attack boxer can't land an effective punch. On the
other hand... you have many options. Notice that your hands and feet are in position to put
knockout power on any kind of punch you choose to fire.

Probably the most trouble I have in teaching a beginner is that the beginner is fearful of
getting hit. He wants to block punches, but he's afraid io let them zing in close. He tries to

How lo Be An Ass- Whipping Boxer

head every punch off at the pass. In olher words... he reaches oui lo block punches. And, any
lime you reach out. you're playing into the hands of your opponent. When you start reaching
out from your stonewall, all the opposition has to do is feint you and set you up for his own
killer punches. Thus, you give him the opening he wants... and you become Ihe sucker.

1 think you can see from the previous illustralions that there's no reason to reach for Ihe
attack boxer's punches. So I caution you - DO NOT BREAK YOUR STONEWALL BY
REACHING OUT TO BLOCK A PUNCH! The best way to block any punch is to stop it an
inch or two from its blended target.

Illustration 71

The next three illustrations are included to teach you what NOT to do. Study ihcm.
Remember them. Bui don't do them. In Illustration 70 you reach out of the stonewall to
hlock a left jab just as it leaves its launching pad. In addition, you close your eyes. This gives
ihe opposition many countering opportunities. In Illustration 71 you reach out to block a left
hook. Again, as you can plainly see, its pure folly to be so stupid. In Illustration 72 you bat
I parry) a left lead off course. You also throw your opponent off balance. But if you make a
practice of this type of move... your adversary can feint you and make you fall into his trap.

DO NOT STRAY FROM THE STONEWALL DEFENSE! Illustrations 70-71-72 are
moves vou must avoid. With a little practice you can block the hardest punches as
demonstrated in many of the above illustrations. Retain the stonewall and you'll always be in
position to hlock any punch, and you'll be set to counter with killing punches. And that's
what you'll learn in the next section... countering. In this section you've learned how to avoid
punishment, and now you must learn how to win. The stonewall defense and the super
countering technique will transform you into a boxing dreadnaught.

Section Two
Boxing 's Stonewall Defense

Illustration 72

The Stonewall Counters

In the preceding section the illustrations I exhibited teach you how to avoid punishment.
But I did not show you how to win. Naturally, to grab victory you have to shoot a few
punches. And, when you punch, it is generally conceded that you leave yourself open to
counter shots from your opponent. However, when you do the countering, it takes a pretty
smart boxer to sucker you and counter your counters.

If you've studied my previous book you'll have the knockout punch and the overall boxing
ability to end the fight before your opponent smartens up enough to start figuring counters
for your moves. If you haven't seen How To Create A Super Boxer, buy it and add the
knowledge to what you're learning in this book.

Many people have asked me how one can mount any strong aggressive action from the ba-
sic stonewall defense. My answer: It takes a lot of practice. Not a single individual was born
a top-notch professional... or even a poor performer. At random I'll select golf. How long
does it take a golfer to advance to the poinl where he can shoot par golf? I don't know be-
cause I'm not a golfer. But, I'd be willing to wager that a young boxing aspirant can perfect
(be stonewall defense in a tenth the time it'll take a golfer to learn to shoot par.

From the defensive stance shown in illustration 56 you can flick a potent left that'll win
many fights for you. You can lead with the flick without giving the opposition much chance
to counter. And you can actually win fights with that single punch. You see, as you are
shielded behind your stonewall, you don't have to take punches. The flicking left can land and
keep landing, piling up points for you.

The flick punch is often misunderstood by the layman. Recently I heard a sportscaster ridi-
:uling a great boxer by calling that man's flicking left jab a '"back-handed slap." In my opin-
::n... that sportscaster is ignorant and very stupid. His knowledge of boxing is nil. He's a real
know nothing." The flicking left, as the mentioned boxer employed it, and as I've used it for
many years, hits the target in a straight-from-the-shoulder drive.

How 10 Be An Ass- Whipping Boxer

Illustration 74

Illustration 75

Illustrations 73-74-75-76 demonstrate how the flicking left snakes to its target. It snaps out
straight and true. And the way it comes in... OFFERS THE OPPOSITION LITTLE
OPPORTUNITY TO COUNTER. You can land on any target effectively. It's great as a lead
punch or as a counter punch. It can be shot with tap force or with knockout power.

Illustration 73 shows you in the basic stonewall stance. In Illustration 74 the flick starts to
its target. It lands in Illustration 75. Illustration 76 takes the viewer in close to dispel all
claims of backhanded n ess.

In Illustration 77 the attack boxer fires a hard right that is easily blocked with your
shoulder. Notice how the attack boxer's left hand has dropped slightly to get set for a follow-

Section Two
Boxing 's Stonewall Defense

up drive? The power of his right hand punch, however, hasn't ruffled you. You are set to
land a knockout right hand shot, and follow it with a crushing barrage. I'm sure you can see
openings for a number of punches.

In Illustration 78 I present one of my favorites. 1 have scored several knockouts with it. It's
easy to learn and easy to use. From the Illustration 77 position you merely "lift" your left as
shown in Illustration 78.

Illustration 7B

Illustration 79

You can also make it a legitimate left uppercut. And, with a bit of practice, you can put
unbelievable snap into the punch.

In Illustrations 77-78 you have blocked a powerful right, landed a knockout punch, and
you haven't given the opposition one chance to land. It's a good start in your education to
make the "stonewall-counter" a winning combination.

Illustration 79 presents a good example of the stonewall. You block his lead left, land with
a powerful left of your own, yet retain a perfect defense.

As most boxers lead with their left, I present Illustrations 80-81 to demonstrate good
examples of how to counter the left lead. In Illustration 80 you slide outside his lead to land a
powerful left to his body. In Illustration 81 you employ the same technique to duck inside and
land a crushing right to the body. Of course, you can also land to the head with cither of
these counter moves. Also notice that, in the Illustrations 80-81 counters, you have held your
stonewall defense.

In Illustration 82 you block a left hook and, a split second later, drop a countering right to
his jaw. (Sec Illustration 83.) In Illustration 83 your right has landed and your left is cocked.
You trigger that left and, in Illustration 84, you blast it into the mouth of your foe.
Meanwhile, your adversary tries to counter with a left, but your stonewall defense protects
you. It leaves you in an excellent position to land a crushing right to his jaw... Illustration 85.

How lo Be An Ass Whipping Boxer

Illustration 81

Notice the position of your hands (the stonewall defense) during the above exchange.
When you land a counter punch, the other hand is blocking, but it's also in position to launch
a counter attack accurately.

Illustration 82

Illustration 83

You can continue this type of action until you stop your opponent. And any one of these
punches is capable of scoring a knockout. Even if you don't take your man out, you will win
handilv. Of course, you must have the strength and power to back you up. It's fairly easy to
build your boxing power. All my books are helpful in your education. 1 suggest you buy them
and study them thoroughly. Never stop trying to learn.

Section Two
Boxing 's Stonewall Defense

Illustration 84 Illustration 85

In closing this seclion, I'd like to present one more counter you can make work for you. In
Illustration 86 your opponent puts a hard right high on your head. Your right shoulder takes
the sling out of the punch and it does little damage. But it leaves the attack boxer at your
mercy. In Illustration 87 you blast your left to his jaw. Notice the position of your feet and
the great power you can put into the punch. It's a good bet that it will stop the man. If it
doesn't...

Illustration 87

ou follow with a powerful right and explode it on the mouth and jaw in Illustration 88.
■ punch is hard but it doesn't stop him. He tries a countering left hook. You block

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

(Illustration 89) because you are employing the stonewall defense during this give- it -all- to-
him aetion.

His desperate left has been stopped by your stonewall defense... in Illustration 89. You are
set solid and in an excellent position to punish him. As his left recoils, your right snaps out
and crushes into his unprotected jaw.

^

Illustration 90 gives a good view of the right landing. It also exhibits a splendid example of
the combination of punching power and defense. The feet are perfect to put killing force on

Section Two
Boxing '.? Stonewall Defense

the blow. The left hand is set to block a right the foe might try. The left is also set to follow
the right to the target.

I believe that Boxing's Stonewall Defense has no equal. And, I believe that if you will take
the time to learn it, it will make you a big winner.

It Takes Practice

It takes a helluva lot of practice to master any sport. Boxing is no exception. If you try a
new fistic move it is likely to be awkward. But if you practice any amount of time it gradually
smoothes out and becomes so easy that you often wonder why you thought it was difficult to
learn.

One reason that there aren't too many competent boxers, is the desperate lack of compe-
tent trainers. You see, a coach in football (or most other sports) has to have heavy creden-
tials. He has a long career behind him. Usually he played in elementary school, junior high
school, high school, college, then a stint as a professional. This, of course, means that the pro
coach has twenty to thirty years of football — good football in which he piled up a formida-
ble record before he takes over the guidance of a football team.

I heard an Olympic skating star say that she started skating when she was six-years-old and
devoted an average of twenty hours of practice every week until she won the gold medal. She
worked under greal coaches, learning her skill from the ground to the stars.

How successful do you think a basketball coach would be if he first saw a basketball today,
made a few sloppy shots at a basket, then took over the coaching of an NBA team? Sounds
stupid and impossible, doesn't it? Well, I've seen boxing coaches take over the training of a
good fistic prospect... and the coaches had never had a glove on. I use the word "coaches"
because I've seen it happen many times.

Boxing is one of the difficult sports to master, yet most any he-man with balls thinks he can
teach boxing and compete on even terms with the master trainers. Even if he doesn't know a
left jab from a kick in the pants, he thinks he knows all there is know about boxing.

Give the average dude a few amateur boxing bouts, and he quickly convinces himself thai
he invented boxing. And he goes out and becomes a "great trainer." As a result, he ruins doz-
ens of young prospects. In football, this type trainer wouldn't get inside a stadium unless he
bought a ticket. But, in boxing, there are hundreds of these guys palming themselves off as
great handlers.

Under the best of conditions and with a competent coach to teach you, it takes a helluva lot
of hard work to perfect boxing. If you try a new fistic move... the first try is likely to be
awkward. But if you practice for any length of time... it gradually smoothes out and becomes
easy. You often wonder why you ever thought ii was difficult. If, on the other hand, you at-
tempt to achieve success via the wrong route (bad instructions) you'll never make it.

The point I'm trying to make is that you should start right, then work like hell till you
achieve success. This book has the pointers to guide you to greatness.

Boxing's Stonewall Defense... And How To Win With Strategic Counter Punches is my gift
to you. But it is a worthless gift if you don't have the desire and determination to take ad-

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

vantage of it. In ihe final analysis, all you need do is mix the pointers in this book with your
own determination... and you will be on the cinch route to boxing success. The "magic for-
mula" is in your hands... the rest is up to you.

Section Three

Mow to Train and
Condition Boxers

Introduction

Champ Thomas knows, perhaps better than anyone, what an important role training and
conditioning plays in any athletic event. After all, Champ was still boxing long after most
competitors would have retired and moved to Florida. Champ had no intention of retiring
early; competing was loo important. But years of competition required years of staying in
shape. The result of those years is this section. How 10 Train and Condition Boxers,
published in 1980.

As we will see, Champ had no one "magic method" of training and conditioning; his
methods are adaptable to anyone's circumstances. And it's all covered: ways to toughen the
skin to avoid cuts, dici, roadwork, gym work... it's all covered here. Champ suggests
schedules and routines, bui emphasizes that these should be individualized for each
competitor.

Since the book was also intended as a handbook for beginning "...trainers, coaches, and
managers," Champ especially wanted these folks to realize lhal every boxer is different;
what works for one will not necessarily work for all. Every competitor and every trainer
should get somcihing from this section. As Champ said. "Add this knowledge to the points
you've learned in all my other books and you'll be an expert in boxing... a champion boxer
and a great trainer."

Section Three
How to Train ant! Condition Boxers

How to Train and Condition Boxers

In my book How to Create a Super Boxer 1 did a pretty good job of covering the various
aspects of training and conditioning. I continue, however, to receive dozens of requests lo
produce a book exclusively devoted to the training-conditioning area of boxing. Fistic aspi-
rants, who live in rural sections and those who do not have easy access to gyms and expert
coaching, want a do-it-yourself plan.

Recently a customer, who has purchased all my books on boxing, wrote that he wanted a
book on the best way to train himself, and others. I pointed out to him that I had covered the
subject in Super Boxer, but he asked for more information.

Many others have made similar requests. If they want a work-free plan, I advise them to
forget it. You can't walk into a gym, look around, and walk away with expert knowledge in
training anybody.

It isn't done that way. It takes a lot of hard work. Great boxers, like athletes in other
sports, aren't made overnight. They must work. work, and then work some more. Success
doesn't come overnight. Big time trainers can't give you instant success. It is my opinion,
though, that anyone can train and condition himself if he has the desire to do so. Alt he has to
do is devote the time and, if he's doing it right, he'll get the job done.

When 1 use the word "trainer" I mean anyone who is coaching, teaching, and conditioning.
A manager is something else. A number of trainers are good managers, and a few managers
are good trainers. But a lo! of managers can manage because they are good at handling busi-
ness, but know absolutely nothing about the mechanics of boxing. So managing and training
are different — like night and day.

This book is designed to teach you how to train and condition yourself. After mastering the
techniques in this book, you will never be totally dependent on others to train you, and if you
obtain my other books, you will know how to teach boxing.

This book is worthless if you do no more than glance at it and toss it aside. Study it and
keep it handy as a guide. It can be worth thousands of dollars... or nothing. It's up to YOU!!!

2 An Asp-Whipping Boxer

Training and Conditioning

If a boxer (or a complete novice) is dedicated and wants to get in fighting condition, it's
easy for him to do so. Knowing what to do and how to do it is the secret. It's easier and
faster to work your body into condition than it is to master the mechanics of boxing. In learn-
ing boxing and conditioning, the real obstacle is the "parrot" trainer. And there are many par-
rots palming themselves off as legitimate trainers.

Parrot trainers have been identified adequately in most of my books. However, in case you
haven't read one of those books, I'll tell you about the parrot misfits in boxing. The parrot
isn't the worst trainer in boxing, but he's i detriment to the game.

A real live feathered bird parrot can mouth words, but it docsn" ( t know what it's saying.
Like when it says "Polly wants a cracker" it doesn't know what ii s asking for. The bird is
mouthing what it's been taught to say.

The human "parrots" I refer to in boxing do not know a thing about boxing. They palm
themselves off as boxing trainers by mouthing the words they hear around gyms. Then they
bluff their way through boxing by mouthing those words. But. like the feathered bird parrot
asking for a cracker, the human parrot doesn't know what he's saying.

The parrot trainer is dangerous because he cons a lot of trusting, unsuspecting youngsters
and puts them on a merry-go-round to oblivion. He guides them SOUTH when they should
be going NORTH. He robs them of their chance at boxing greatness, and he robs the poor
kids of their health and steals their money,

A few trainers come out of the trenches, so you'd think they're okay. But it isn't always
true. I class boxing trainers in the parrot, kindergarten, elementary, middle school, high
school, college, professional, and super professional levels.

On a scale from 1 to 10, 1 rate the parrot at minus zero, the kindergarten trainer rates 2, the
elementary school trainer goes up to 4, the middle school operator rates a 5, the high school
level trainer gets my rating of 6, and the college level trainer rates a 7. Professional trainers
vary and I give them rating 8-9 or 10, The super professional, and I consider myself in this
class, rate above the scale often. On the scale of 1 to 10... I rate myself 12.

The kindergarten- type trainer has had one or two fights and lost, but he does know how it
feels to be in ring battle. He, like the kindergarten school student, can't teach above that
level. The same can be said about the other levels. Example: The middle school trainer may
have had ten or fifteen fights and learned about the same about boxing that a middle school
student has learned aboui teaching. Neither of these guys can teach at the college level.

Well. 1 think you get the idea. A teacher of anything must know what he's teaching. A
football coach must have credentials or he doesn't get a job. A doctor has years of medical
school and an internship behind him before he's allowed to practice. It's the same in anything.

The parrot trainer is like a man who decides he is going to be a doctor. He goes to a hospi-
tal of a medical office and learns a few medical terms, and then he goes into business as a
doctor,

A quack doctor and a parrot boxing trainer rate as super CONMEN. Loam to identify them
and stav away from them.

Seel ion Three
How lo Train and Condition Boxers

I'm preparing ihis book so (hat you can condilion yourself. You won't have to take
chances on one of the misfit trainers. My other books will give you a super education in all
areas of boxing. Add that knowledge to this training-conditioning know-how and you'll have
professional expertise in this business. On a scale from 1 to 10 you will rate 8 to 9 or 10. Get
a little actual experience and you will be in the super level category.

Boxing, like most sports and professions, is filled with jealous people. You can be doing
perfect, but one of the jealous misfits (or parrots) will tell you that you're doing it all wrong.
You see, a conman who is trying to parrot his way through boxing, will criticize the points
you do well in, and attempt to make himself look better. The parrot trainer being a heartless
conman, has no qualms in robbing you of your natural ability and putting you on the road to
ruin. He doesn't necessarily try to ruin you.... he's so boxing dumb thai he doesn't know any
better. But the parrot trainer isn't as jealous as some of those various scfibol types. I'll give
you an example: I was teaching a young fella named Billy and the kid was doing real well. He
was mastering the stonewall and his sparring partners couldn't hit him. Well. I had to go out
of town for a couple weeks, and I instructed Billy to continue as he had been doing and,
when I returned, I would teach him more.

Two weeks later when I walked into the gym. there was Billy in the ring taking a drubbing
from a guy he was beating every day when I left. He had abandoned the stonewall and was
making a futile effort to block punches with his gloves and arms. Slick Joe. as I will call him.
was having fun making Billy stumble and flounder about the ring while he caught all the
punches that came his way.

I knew what had happened. Billy had been suckered into changing his style. In the middle
of the round I called time, and scolded Billy. "Why the hell did you change your style? Joe
couldn't hit you with a handful of rice. Now he's kicking your butt."

Billy looked down at his feet, "Well, Champ, Joe said I was doing it all wrong. And Arnold
(one of the gym's parrots) said that you didn't know a thing and was teaching me wrong. So
I tried to do it the way they told me to. I'm kinda confused."

"And getting the crap kicked outta you," I added. "You listen to me. Billy. Come to my
house tonight and I'll straighten you out."

Well, the next day Billy punched Slick Joe full of holes, knocking him cold in the third
round. You see, I had put him back on the right track. He was jubilant. "Champ, I ain't gonna
ever listen to them guys again. Now I understand how they talked me into doing it so Slick
Joe could beat me."

As a kid, I was no better than you or Billy. I tell for the line of every parrot and Slick Joe I
saw, I did exactly as they told me. And they sent me every way except the right way. Then
one day a "Slick Joe" named Benny made me sec the light.

Benny wasn't exceptionally good hut he hud a bad reputation. . , u neighborhood bully-type.
I was about fourteen, had been boxing for nine years, but 1 was pretty gullible. I was giving
Benny my best shots and winning. I busted his nose and had it bleeding like water coming out
of the tap.

At the end of the round. Benny, who was about twenty or older, decided to give himself a
break. "You're pretty good for a kid," he said. "But 1 can show ya how tuh be a whole lot
better." I was all ears. I'd been taught to listen to older people, and I wanted to learn. Benny

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

went on: "You're punching all wrong and missing too many shots. Here... I'll show ya. This
is the right way tuh do it."

He spent five minutes instructing me in how I should do it. "Now, that's a lot belter," he
said.

For a minute into the next round I followed his advice... did it his way. I got hit several
times and my nose was bleeding. I hadn't done a bit of damage to good ole Benny. Then I
started to think...

When I had done it wrong, or Benny's version of doing it wrong, I had clobbered the hell
out of him. in doing it his version of the right way, I was getting licked. Slowly the truth
seeped into my stupid head. Benny had conned me into using a style he could win against.

The round ended before I could retaliate, but in the next round 1 returned to my old style
and made Benny pay for misleading me. He quit at the end of the round, a badly beaten
boxer.

Since that day more than fifty years ago, I have made a thorough study of conning tech-
niques of trainers and fighters. The jealous and inept people have ruined a lot of ambitious
and talented boxers. And they'll ruin a lot more.

Fortunately, you won't be one of them. Why? You have acquired the Thomas Technique.
Always remember, when you're confident that something's right for you, don't let a "Slick
Joe" tell you that it's all wrong, especially if the other guy has some way to profit from you
doing it his way.

1 guarantee that if you'll take the time to master the "Thomas Technique" style of boxing,
you'll be a solid winner, but you'll meet a lot of "Slick Joes" who will tell you that you're do-
ing it all wrong. You know why? YOU'LL BE A HELLUVA LOT SMARTER IN BOXING
THAN ANY OF THEM ARE. You'll be a winner. A champion.

This book, like all my books, is designed to give you the expertise to direct your own des-
tiny. When you have mastered the lessons in my books, you will have few equals in this busi-
ness. If you want to be a ring champion, you can be one. If you want to be an expert trainer,
you can be one. If you want to be more than a boxing expert, you will be one. The study and
work will require a lot of effort... but it'll be worth hundreds of times the money and time
you spend.

I guarantee that you'll succeed if you try. I will aid you by letter, telephone, or in person (if
vou come to Denver). You see, I want you to be great. My ego, fattened with sixty years of
successful experience, is likely to suffer if ooe of my students does not win.

The Thomas Technique gives you a perfect guide. Follow it precisely and you won't fail.

Training and Teaching Yourself

How do you go about training yourself? Well, it's not difficult at all. What's the purpose of
training and conditioning? That's another easy one. Since this book is mainly on conditioning,
we'll talk about getting in shape to fight. You have a fight coming up and you want to be in
physical condition to go the 4-6-8-10 or 15 rounds the bout is scheduled for.

Section Three
How to Train and Condition Boxers

The firsl thing I like to teach a beginner is pace. If you learn how to pace yourself you can
cut a lot of work out of the other aspects of training. This, does not mean you can pace your-
self through a fight if you are not in good physical condition.

What is pace and pacing? IT'S THE ABILITY TO RELAX AND ELIMINATE TENSE-
NESS FROM YOUR MUSCLES while you're fighting. Example: Clinch your fists and tense
all the muscles in your body ...hold them as (ense as you can for a full minute. After a minute
relax and you'll be tired. If you held the tight muscles for three minutes you would be com-
pletely exhausted. Now imagine you are in a fight, you hold that tenseness and add the vio-
lent exercise involved in fighting, and I think you can appreciate the importance of eliminating
all the tenseness from your body.

You can hear the parrots and kindergarten guys in gyms screaming "Stay loose! Stay
loose!" but they don't know why they're saying it. In fact, they do not know what they're
saying. They can't explain it to their students. They've heard other parrots scream it and they
parrot the words.

I've seen amateurs who could blaze through dozens of rounds in gym work, but couldn't
get through two or three rounds in a real bout. Even though they do not relax completely in
the gym, they are ten times more tense under fire.

Practice from the very start... pace yourself. Relax in doing roadwork, relax when doing
exercises, in shadowboxing... relax. Develop a relaxed smoothness in punching the bag. And
when you spar, school yourself to relax.

A good exercise is to assume the stonewall defensive stance. Relax all your muscles, then
fire a left jab as fast and relaxed as you can. Then go through all the punches. Develop a re-
laxed rhythm in punching with both fists. Gradually you will start relaxing naturally. I'll con-
tinue to "preach" pace throughout this book because I want it all to rub off on you.

What to Cat?

Most beginners ask; "What should I eat?'

Many trainers, even pretty good ones, will tell you that you're doomed if you don't eat cer-
tain foods. One trainer is convinced that his fighter will lose if he doesn't eal steak three times
a day. I agree that steak is good, but it's not the only food to boost a fighter to victory. I've
seen boxers turn in championship performances on rice, beans, and bread... nothing else.

Once, when I was promoting in Subic Bay, one of my fighters did double duty, fighting
two six-round goes. His pre-fight meal ...one canteen cup of rice. It was at the (ail end of
World War Two and all my Filipino fighters turned in sizzling performances on small portions
of rice. In Depression days in the Southwest, the Mexican fighter fought on nothing except
'^eans and tortillas. And I once fought two tough four-rounders and all I'd eaten for three
fays was a stale pack of sweet rolls. In carnival competition I breakfasted on one bad ham-
"urger, then went out and, without eating another bite, scored 22 knockouts and won 14 de-
:isions. So I'm not strict on my fighters when it comes to food.

How to Be An Ars- Whipping Boxer

I recommend any kind of food you can feel comfortable with. For example: If beans give
you power and you feel tigerish, and you like beans, eat them. If rice gives you killer power,
eat rice. If you feci that any certain food is for you... eat it.

Junk food, heavy potatoes, and pancakes are some of the foods I suggest the fighters don't
go heavy on. To give you an idea of what might be good for you, I suggest the following
menus:
BREAKFAST: One normal-sized glass of orange juice, two or three poached eggs; four

slices of bacon or a slab of ham; two slices of toast; one or two cups of hot tea.
LUNCH: A small portion of roast beef; side order of vegetables; a dish of fruit (peaches,

pears, apples): and milk, juice, or soft drink.
DINNER: A half-pound of steak; one small baked potato; salad; dessert of ice cream or

cake; soft drink.

Milk is a good drink. However, many athletes suffer constipation from drinking milk. If
milk does this to you, substitute another drink.

The above suggestions are no more than suggestions. Example: No two fighters arc alike
and their bodies do not function the same. And if a fighter is working on a job he'll require
more food than a man who is devoting all his time to training.

I never place a food burden on my fighters. I do, however, ask them to eat moderately.
Don't stuff. Like one time I had eaten a whole pie and a big piece of Christmas cake and, two
hours later, I was challenged to fight in a tough-guy type show. Well, 1 lost to a guy I should
have stopped in one round. I didn't make that misiake again and I hope you won't. The bot-
tom line of eating is: eat what you like as long as you can handle it comfortably. Don't stuff.
Eat moderately.

Regulating one's weighl sometimes requires drastic measures. Disregard the fancy ads and
the guaranteed methods of losing weight. There's only one sure way to lose weight... CUT
THE INTAKE OF FOOD. Once, in a New York fight, my boxer came in three pounds over
the contracted weight. The Commission gyve my guy three hours to lose it. It was almost an
impossible task, but he did it. How? I gave him an enema and made him take a steam bath.
He also chewed gum and spit until his moulh was as dry as a sun bleached bone.

The boxer made the contracted weight and, since he had eight hours before entering the
ring, he was able to eat a thick steak and drink enough water to regain his fighting strength.
Water isn't too good the day of a fight, but this kid was so dehydrated that I had him drink
enough liquids to aid his physical system in the long fight ahead.

I recommend that you avoid fast reducing. But if you find yourself in a desperate situation,
be confident that you can lose weight quickly. As a matter of record... any healthy individual
can lose his excess weight. AH you do is reduce your intake of food.

Roadwork

Jogging and running has become a national pastime. The old, the young, males, females,
run for fun and a doctor's promise that the exercise will give better health and a longer life.

Section Three
:> Train and Condition Boxers

Boxers run to build their wind, their endurance, their legs, and a wish that all the running
will increase their winning streak.

The boxers and non-boxers are better off tor the running they do. I've always considered
running one of the finest exercises a person can do to improve his physical condition. But,
like any method of learning or developing, there must be a sensible or level plan.

1 knew a man forty years ago who was convinced that his son was destined to be a great
boxer. When the boy was ten-ycars-old. the old man was up every morning at five a.m. forc-
ing the boy to run. Rain or shine, snow or ice, the kid had to run ten miles. It was a crime
against the twelve-year-old, but no one did a thing about it. With running ten miles a day and
thirty rounds of gym work, the youngster was burned out before he was eighteen.

That man should've been jailed for child abuse. 1 have seen many others like him... many
who should've been jailed for crimes against their fighters. They can't tei'ch boxing and they
can't condition boxers.

There's no set time to do roadwork and no special way to do it. Depending on the length
of the contest, two to five miles will be enough. Of course. I think there is a right and a
wrong way to run. How can there be a right and a wrong way to run? The twelve-year-old
boy running ten miles on his toes was definitely the wrong way to do it. And loafing through
X number of miles is a waste of time. Jogging at a ninety-year-old man's pace is wrong. Run-
ning along one of the busiest streets in town is bad.
A park or a country road is the best place to do roadwork.

Start your run by jogging two hundred yards, and then sprinting two hundred yards. Alter-
nate between jogging and running. Jog at a medium pace: run at a fast clip ... like you're try-
ing to break an Olympic record. Alternating between jogging and running is similar to the
pace you'll have to maintain in the ring. Jogging represents the sparring for an opening and
running represents the hard fighting you'll have to do.

In training and conditioning yourself, you 're the judge. So do it right. If you're employed
at a regular job you can cut your roadwork mileage in half. Example: If you ordinarily do two
miles, cut it to one mile and try to get it in before you go to work in the morning. Normally,
full-time boxers run early in the morning.

I advise a bit of exercise while you're out on the road. Alter you've completed your run
you might want to practice your footwork and sharpen your punches land we'll gn into thai
in some of the first illustrations). Footwork can be sharpened in this way: Take your regular
stance. Hop forward about two hundred yards, then hop backwards the same distance. Do it
several times. This'll build your legs and footwork so that you can criss-cross the ring many
times and not get tired.

In Illustration 9 1 the boxer is caught in a fast sprint. As you can sec. he is really digging in
and running as fast as he can. This kind of running will build your wind, as well as your lens
and arms.

Illustration 92 shows the boxer in stance hopping forward. In doing this you want to hold
your stance and guard in perfect position. You can also practice your punches as you dance
forward and backward. Remember to keep your feet spread apart. Do not bring them to-
e ether.

How to Be An Ass- Whipping Boxer

Illustration 91

Illustration 92

In Illustration 93 the boxer is practicing punching at the dangling branches of a tree in the
park. This is a very good exercise to improve your follow through and help you pick up a re-
laxed rhythm, which, in turn, will help you in pacing yourself.

Illustration 93

Illustration 94

In Illustrations 94-95 we continue the follow through exercise. While you are in Ihe park,
probably after vou have done your roadwork, find a tree or bush with a dangling limb. Square
off at the tree as if it's one of your tough opponents. Keep your entire body relaxed. Fire
jabs, hooks, overhand rights, uppercuts, and piledriving straight punches. Let your punches
swing all the way through.

Section Three
How to Train and Condition Boxers

Illustration 95

Illustration

In Illustrations 93-94-95 the boxer's fist has gone right on "through" the target branch.
This fighter's feet aren't right (the left foot should' ve pivoted with the follow though) but I
think you can get a pretty good idea why you are doing this.

Illustration 96 is an excellent shot of a boxer putting all his speed into a sprint. This boxer
is doing it perfectly. Try to imitate this style of running when you sprint.

Getting back to the fighting of "tree leaves" at the park. You can practice and sharpen all
your punches. Remember to select a "target" that is flexible and will not hurt your fist or ob-
struct your follow through. And ...remember to relax. This, as I pointed out early, is part of
your "pacing." Do not tackle hardwood limbs with these park punches. You may skin your
knuckles or break your fist. Dangling leaves are the best targets. Then you should wear mil-
tens of some kind.

There is no limit to the benefits you can derive from this exercise. So give it your best shot.

Gym Work

Gym work can be a drag and leave you wondering if it's necessary. But 1 like to think of
the gym as a university classroom. How do you get any benefits in a gym if you don't have an
instructor? Well, by following my instructions in training yourself you can get what you'd get
with a great trainer... and a helluva lot more lhan you'd get with a parrot or a school-level
trainer.

To eliminate the boredom in working in a gym, try to make a game of everything you do.
Example: When you're shadowboxing pretend you are actually boxing a clever opponent. As
■■on move about the ring, "see" the opponent in front of you. Make the aggressive defensive
-joves you've learned in my books. Pretend the guy tries to hit you with a left jab, you block
_-d counter with your own left. Pretend he fires a left and you slip under it with a right or a
efi to his body. And on an on you can go, practicing your aggressive and defensive moves.

How 10 Be An Ass-Whipping §0x1

Most guys shadowbox as if they're making it one long "calisthenics" session. They move
mechanically. They fire punches they'll never use in a ring bout. In effect, they're wasting
their time.

When you punch the bag, imagine it's a real-live target. Keep your feet in perfect position
and your defense solid. Feint and punch as if he can kill you with a counterattack.

In sparring you should practice all your punches until they arc flawless, then always try to
improve everything you do. Don't worry about annihilating a gym sparring partner. Control
the action, but devote your time to sharpening your fistic weapons.

The gymnasium, whether you're training yoursolf or working under the expert guidance of
a trainer, is a place to leam and improve. If you consider the gym a horrible sweat palace, a
place where you have to go and torture yourself, forget boxing. You'll never be a success in
boxing if you don't want to learn and develop your potential.

Protect Your Hands

Your fists are your big guns in boxing. You must protect them. This isn't always easy
when you think of the modern boxing glove. The gloves arcn'l designed to protect your
hands.

Illustration 100

Most of the modern gloves look like the one we sec in Illustration 97. You can't make a
fist properly and safely. Your fist inside the gloves looks something like the one in Illustration
98.

Study these two illustrations, then try on some of the boxing gloves the sporting goods
stores sell. If you were to hit a man in a street fight with your fist as shown in Illustration 98,
the hand would disintegrate. But that's the way glove manufacturers ask you to go into a ring
and fight. Commissions endorse it, too.

Illustrations 99-100 show you how your fists should close in a glove. Illustration 101 is the
way your wrapped hand should look inside the glove. Notice that the thumb is in position to
give support to your fingers. It*S the kind of fist you've been making since you were a day
old. Wh\ the siove people designed gloves to ruin your hands is more than I can understand.

Section Three
How to Train and Condition Boxers

Illustration 101

Illustration 102

Illustration 103

Shop around unit! you can get gloves like Ihe ones in Illustrations 99-100. And when you
fight, ask the promoter to provide gloves you can make a fisi in. You may not be successful,
but you can try. I usually buy a set of fight gloves that meet my standards, take them to a
match, and ask the promoter to let my fighter and his opponent use them. Or you can break
the gloves in until you can make a fist in them. You do this by doing a "twist" job on them.
You twist and break the padding until you can make a fist.

Before you put on the gloves, however, you should wrap your hands to give them added
protection. There are many ways to wrap your hands, and most of them are bad. Most young
guys, taught by parrots, wrap their hands as if they were bandaging a cut or sore. This is not
the purpose oT wrapping. You want to wrap to give your hands protection. You see, when
you hit a solid object, like a hard head, there's a terrible shock and strain on the bones in your
hand up to and including your wrist.

Selecting the proper gloves, wrapping your hands right, and punching cleanly will prevent
broken hands.

Illustration 104

Illustration 105

Illustration 106

Illustration 102 shows you how to start the hand wrapping procedure. Hook the wrap loop
over your thumb then go around the wrist (over the top of the wrist) two limes. As you come
up under the wrist you are guiding the wrap in the right direction to go over the top of the
thumb and around it, as shown in Illustration 102. Now you take the wrap across the top of
your hand as shown in Illustration 103. You bring the wrap under the palm, as shown, then

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

on around the knuckles twice. Don't let the wrap go too far down toward youi fingertips.
The wrap should not come more than half an inch to an inch below the top of your knuckles.

On the third circle of your knuckles as shown in Illustration 104. take the wrap across the
back of your hand as shown in Illustration 105. Make one or two trips across the hand. (I
usually go across twice, with the first time a little closer to the knuckles and the second time
a little closer to the wrist.) Then go around the wrist, and back across the top of the hand al-
most to the knuckles. Then go under the palm and over the back, criss-crossing a couple of
times, and end the wrapping procedure by going around your wrist and tying it.

In the end of the wrapping, your hand will look a:', it docs in Illustration 101. PERFECT.
When you do it the right way, the wraps will stay in place through the complete workout ses-
sion or fifteen-round fight. And when you do it right you won't need a lot of tape, etc.

You'll see guys in the gym wrapping in all kinds of crazy ways. They'll be using padding
and sponges on their knuckles. They'll be running the wraps between their fingers, but your
wrap will be on right and give you more protection.

Of course, an ounce of prevention is worth pounds of cure. The proper gloves, hitting
squarely with your fists landing solidly, and strong hands will eliminate most of the dangers in
hitting.

I often do not wrap my hands. Why? Well, I have very strong hands, and you can too. All
you need do is squeeze tennis balls, and grip your hands together (interlocking your fingers)
and pit one hand against the other in a personal power struggle. Exercise your knuckles about
ten minutes daily and your hands will become very strong.

When wrapping your hands keep your fingers spread as shown in the illustrations, and
close your fist about two or three times during the wrapping procedure. If the wrap feels too
tight, loosen it a little. If the wraps are too tight they cut off circulation. If they're too loose,
they're worthless.

now Should I Regulate My Gym Session?

As I mentioned before, gym work can be drudgery and it can be fun. And a "gym" can be
anywhere. We like to work in a new modern gym, but I've trained under drastic conditions. If
you live in a rural area do not let the lack of modern facilities stop you. I've whipped myself
in shape by working out in basements, hotel rooms, garages, barns, parks, back alleys, and in
a farm atmosphere.

Recently one of my fighters complained that the gym was closed and he couldn't workout
on Sunday and Saturday. As it was summer. I told him I'd pick him up at the regular lime
and take him to a real gym.

I shrugged off all his questions until I got him to the park. And before he could complain
[hat the park wasn't a gym, I had him working.

He shadowboxed five rounds on the park's playground. I substituted the evergreen tree
branches as the big bag and had him punch his way through five rounds. Then I sparred five
rounds with him. I had him get up on one of the wooden tables and skip five rounds. To wind
up the workout, I put him through ten minutes of calisthenics.

Seel ion Three
How to Train and Condition Boxers

When the workout was over, he fell down on the grass. "Best workout I've had all month,"
he said. "I never thought of working out any place except down at the gym. Let's come here
everyday..,"

Whether you're in a good gym or in the country, it is easy to get a workout... if you want
it. But let's assume that you're in a conventional gym. Here's the schedule you should follow:

1. Three minutes of loosening up... a mix of shadowboxing and calisthenics. Work easy.
relaxed.

2. Shadowbox three rounds. Work hard but relax and pace yourself.

3. Spar several rounds. Work like it's a fight. You can go easy, but keep alert and move
right.

4. Punch the heavy bag several rounds. Imagine the bag is a live opponent. Practice your
punches.

5. Punch (he speed bag a couple rounds. If there is no speed bag, don't let it worry you. It
looks good to spectators, but doesn't do much for you.

6. Skip rope for a few rounds.

7. Wind up (he workout with ten minutes of calisthenics and body-toughening exercises.

8. Cool off ten minutes before you take a shower.

Don't go out in cold weather right after taking a shower. Wait until you're completely dry.
And if you don't have a shower (in the park, country, or wherever), don't think the world has
ended. You can wait until you get home.

After your loosening up exercises you might want to vary your gym program to avoid
boredom. I often start first with the bag, or sparring, or skipping rope.

The length of your workout should vary a little to live with the number of rounds you arc
going to fight. I like to work about four more gym rounds than I'm scheduled to light. Ex-
ample: four rounds bout, eight rounds gym; fifteen rounds bout, nineteen rounds gym. But.
like eating, you'll develop a "feel" for what is okay for you. However, don't work so much
that you overdo it and go stale. If you work too hard too long... you'll start feeling listless
and tired. When you get that feeling, take a few days off and rest. When you resume gym
work you'll feel strong again. Take the last two days off before you tight. 1 like to run a mile
the day before a fight, and shadowbox about three rounds on the day of the fight.

Illustrations 107-108-109 show the men shadowboxing. In Illustrations 110-111-112-113
they are sparring. Notice that they're making "real bout" moves.

Always remember to pace yourself and to sharpen your punches, your defense, your fool-
work, and develop your strategic ability.

Illustrations 114-1 15 give another example of sparring. In Illustration 1 14 they size each
other up and spar for an opening. In Illustration 1 15 the man in white tries a right but the man
in black makes him miss, then counters.

How [d Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

Illustration 111

Illustration 113

Section Three
How lo Train and Condition Boxers

Illustration 114

Illustration 115

Punching the Heavy Bag

Of all the non-sparring exercises in the gym, I like punching the heavy bag. You can de-
velop power and do a good job of sharpening all points in your boxing. I look at the heavy
bag as I do at a tough opponent. In increasing your punching power, you can feint, and work
on all your boxing expertise.

Illustration 117

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

Illustration 116

Don't goof off when punching the bag. Hold your defense, stunee and pacing as if you are
fighting in a world title bout. Illustration 1 16 gives a perfect example of a straight left. Notice
how the feet are wide and balanced, the left is rammed into the bag, the great power is traced
from the right foot through the body and arm to the bag. The fighter's straight left is stopping
the bag and the fighter's strong effort to push forward.

Illustration 117 catches the boxer landing a right. The boxer is set to follow with a killing
left hook. He's a little too close with the right. The punch would have been better had he ex-
tended it more as he's doing in Illustration 118.

When working on the bag give your full arsenal of punches a good workout. Speed jabs,
piledriving jabs, overhand rights, uppercuts, left hooks, straight rights, and speed punching.

When punching a bag try to select one that is very soft, but heavy enough to make it hang
pretty stationary. Don't push the bag around like it's some king of swing. When you punch
(he bag right it won't swing around in a big circle. You see a lot of beginners in gyms and
they're making the bag fly all over. That's not good punching, it's pushing.

Calisthenics

Calisthenics is an important part of your conditioning program. You toughen the front side
of your body and prepare to handle any of the punches, which penetrate your defense.

Illustration 119 is a very good belly toughener. But if you do not have a bench or frame
like the one in the illustration, you can get a good tough belly by doing exercises in Illustra-
tions 120-121-122. The boxer in Illustration 120 is keeping his butt and feel on the mat, and
liftina his upper body slowly. This puts a lot of tension on the stomach muscles and, if done
regularly, will give you a "scrubboard" belly. In Illustration 121 the boxer's head and shoul-
ders are down, but he is lifting. When he lifts them about ten inches off the mat he then
spreads them out slowly as shown in Illustration 122.

Section Three
How to Train and Condition Boxers

Illustration 120

Illustration 121

Illustration 122

The exercises in Illustrations 1 19-120-121-122 should be done slowly to put more strain
on your belly.

#3

Illustration 123

Illustration 124

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

Illustrations 124-125 show the best toughener. It's the punch ing-to-thc-bclly workout for
the body. It beats the medicine ball and that type of deal. You square off with a partner and
work a rhythmic punching exercise (o each other's belly. Stand toe-to-toe and don't try to
block the punches. You and he land simultaneous lefts to each other's solar plexus, and then
land rights to the same spot. Then you gain a relaxed rhythm... relaxed all over except the
muscles around your solar plexus.

Illustration 125

Illustration 126

I [lustration 127

This serves two purposes. I. The relaxed rhythm is a great aid in pacing. 2. It teaches you
to keep the solar plexus muscles tight at all times and prevents a sneak punch from knocking
the wind out of you.

One parrot told me that the exercise was stupid. "You can't beat muscles onto a guy's
beuy," he said.

Well, he was too ignorant to understand. If you relax, even with a roll of muscles, a sneak
punch will do a lot of damage. This exercise will teach you to always keep the vulnerable
spot guarded.

When working this exercise start slow... with a very light punch. Gradually pick up speed
and power. Remember, though; keep your solar plexus area tight, and the rest of your body
relaxed. .And do not shoot any fast or unexpected punches until you and your partner are
readv for them.

Mow to Prevent Cuts

Cuts can rob you of certain victory. But you can avoid cuts, and build a resistance against
them. This method could be worth thousands, maybe millions of dollars to you. It has worked
for me many tunes and it has worked for my fighters. I call it "leather" skin.

Section Three
How to Train and Condition Boxers

An old-timer fighter taught it to me many years ago. "Boy," he said. "Don't mess around
with messy stuff trying to pickle your face to make it tough, Here, lookit my hands. See them
calluses? No way you gonna cut it and make it bleed unless you cut through the calluses. A
boxing glove'll never do a thing to it. Make the skin around your eyes tough like this and
you'll never get cut."

Another fighter had sold me some stinking salve to put on my face to toughen it. I'd paid
him ten bucks for his remedy. But here was another trainer telling me a better way.

"How. Preacher? How can I toughen my face?"

He showed me. And here's the secret. Massage. You rub your face, the areas prone to
cuts, until the skin thickens and toughens. It takes about two months of steady care, but it's
worth it.

Illustration 126 and Illustration 127 show you how it's do-ie. You have to be very careful
and not rub hard at first. I've seen fighters attempt to get their skin tough over night, and it
can't be done. It takes from two to three months.

Look at the palms of your hands. If you've done any manual work at all, the skin will be
tough. You can put a boxing glove on your other hand and slice it across your patm. And you
can have others do the same. It can't be cut with a glove. Well, your tender cut areas can be
made as tough as the palms of your hands.

I call it getting a coat of "leather skin." And when you do the leather skin job on yourself
or on others, you are giving the recipient a "coat of armor" ...a million dollar gift.

This book has given you a good guide to training and conditioning yourself. But it requires
you to work to make the guide work for you. Add this knowledge to the points you've
learned in all my other books and you'll be an expert in boxing... a champion boxer and a
great trainer.

Section Tour

The Thomas Technique
Series

Introduction

In 1983. Champ published a series of manuals lhat were designed to explore all phases of
what had become known as the Thomas Technique. Each of these volumes is a treasury of
simple directions that, if followed to the letter, would produce the kind of fighter thai Champ
had trained for decades: poised, alert, quick, prepared and physically fit. His devotees
cheered the appearance of these volumes; each topic was covered individually and in detail.
If desired, they could purchase only the manual that dealt wilh their personal "problem
area." However, few could resist obtaining the entire set. After all, who wouldn't want
further insight from Champ on topics such as stance, footwork, left jabs and hooks, and
strategy?

Here, for the first time, we include the entire scries as Section Four of this volume. Champ
would ask, "Are you still paying attention?" because, as he has told us over and over again,
it is ultimately up to us to take advantage of this information and become a kick-ass boxer!

Section Four
The Thomas Technique Series

How to Develop Boxing's Best Stance

(and Take Advantage of

All Your Opponents)

I think I'm safe in saying (hat 90 percenl of all boxers going into prize fighting want to win
a world championship. The remaining 10 percent, if the percentage is [hat large, fight only to
make a few bucks or to prove to themselves that they have the moxie to fight.

This small book is for all boxers but mainly for the aspiring champions. You see. the boxer
who wants to be champion will face the most obstacles. Bad management, poor training,
lousy breaks, and very strong opponents arc only a few of the roadblocks he faces.

Poor trainers and inept teaching methods can be disastrous for any boxer, especially the
novice. Bad management has always plagued boxers. Most of the bad breaks can be avoided
if a boxer has good management. Strong opposition in the ring will always be a force to con-
tend with. Excellent teaching and smart management can put the world title within your
grasp.

Teaching and training is where I can help you.

I have written a dozen books on "How To Box" and it has been said by many people that I
have made a major contribution to boxing. From all over the world young boxers, veteran
Irainers, and a few top-notch boxers write praising me for helping them advance their careers.
My book How to Create A Super Boxer covers all areas of boxing. My other books specialize
in the various areas of boxing. At least one of the books has sold in every state, all Canadian
provinces, and in eighty-seven countries.

This will be a "specialized book." I will concentrate exclusively on stance and how it can
give you victory.

If you've watched boxing for any length of time you've seen hundreds of stances. Chances
are, though, you never gave the importance of stance much thought.

In recent years, and I suspect this is due to watching others on television, boxers have
adopted the stand-up, hand-held high-style of boxing. Back thirty or forty years ago, the
fighters had more individualism in their styles. When you saw a man from California boxing
one from New York the men were likely to have totally different stances. As a result, the
contest was a test between two contrasting styles and it made a very interesting battle.

I favor individual styles.

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

What makes an individual style? Well, wc have ihe southpaws, the bob- and -weavers, Ihe
sluggers, the fancy-dans, and the combination boxer-slugger styles.

My style of boxing always drew attention. I was differeni. My style of attack and my
stonewall defense and my stance puzzled my foes. And by the time they could figure me out
they were waking up in the dressing room wondering what happened.

The mystery centered around my stance. If they did figure me out before I knocked them
out, I switched to another stance just as puzzling as the first one. But it wasn't always that
tough for them.

In my first three hundred fights, mostly in carnival and kid bouts, I merely sailed in firing
both of my hands in windmill style. I won some and I lost several. And usually, in both win
and lose situations, I took more punishment than 1 needed to.

Then, one night, I learned the value of stance.

I was in terrible condition and look the bout on a moment's notice... literally. 1 hadn't put a
glove on my fists in two or three months. I was visiting my cousin and he, knowing that I was
a boxer, treated me to a fifty cents balcony seat at a boxing show.

One of the featured boxers had failed to show, and the promoters were in a bind. The an-
nouncer explained the problem to the spectators and asked if there was a man in the house
who would take the missing guy's spot on the program.

■'1 bci 1 could lick him." I boasted to my cousin.

He responded in a louder than normal tone. "'Yeah! You can lick 'em." He stood up and
yelled, "Hey! My cousin will fight him. Hey... up here."

I didn't have any boxing gear but in less than five minutes I was in the ring. I was wearing
a pair of old tennis shoes because that was all I could afford. So I stripped to the waist and
somebody put gloves on me.

My opponent was a hardheaded country-boy type. He was about twenty-five and looked
harder than nails. The guy soon proved to be tougher than he looked. The first two rounds I
sailed in and fired punches. "Tuffy" was the guy's name and I figured he'd earned his name.
He was fifteen or twenty pounds heavier, twelve years older, and could punch harder and
faster than 1 could. In other words... he was kicking the shit out of me.

In the fourth round, a mile behind on points and so tired I could barely stand; I fell into a
low crouch and extended my left straight out toward Tuffy. The crouch and the extended arm
was a desperate attempt to ward off the attack I knew was coming. Tuffy hesitated and stud-
ied my stance. He was puzzled because he had not seen a fighter do what I was doing.

His hesitation gave me a moment of rest and a bit of time to think. 1 didn't know what to
do but Tuffy's handlers gave me a clue, They yelled, "Left hook. Left hook. Straighten him
up with a left hook. He's wide open. Left hook, Tuffy. Left hook."

I w atched as Tuffy comprehended what his handlers were screaming for him to do. A new
confidence came in his eyes when he realized the reason his corner was in such a rush for him
to left hook me. He could see the praise he'd get for a knockout victory. He moved forward,
letting his left make a wide sweep toward what he "knew" was a cinch target.

Although 1 was low. my head about waist high, and I appeared to be in no position to
counter or give any kind of comeback, my feet were balanced. His left was wide and his chin
was wide open. So 1 just moved in a little, stepping to my left with my left foot, pivoting on

Seciio/i Four
The Thomas Technique Series

my right foot as I put all my body power into one of the hardest right hand punches I'd ever
fared.

Tuffy was counting on his hard left hook to finish me. He had forgotten defense because
he'd thought 1 was "out" on my feet. With a lot of driving force behind his left, his own mo-
menlum pushed his chin toward my countering right. All the power of my body was behind
and on my right when it exploded on his chin. He fell so hard that he almost broke the ring
down. Tuffy was carried from the ring.

Thus, by accident, I learned the importance of an unorthodox stance. And since thai fight I
have employed the same stance to win several hundred KO victories in a dozen countries.
Many times, even though I was in good condition, I pretended to be dead tired to sucker my
opponent in, jusl like I did Tuffy.

In carnival competition I once stopped nine men on the same program by using the "tired
and out on my feet" ruse. Normally I'd have had to change tactics once or twice to keep
fooling the guys, but they kept falling for the Hick and I kepi knocking them out until they'd
all received the same dose of medicine. It was like setting up ten pins... set 'cm up, knock
'em down.

With any stance you must learn how to make it work for you. You can cover any way you
desire, but if you don't know how to react to your opponent's attack, you won't last very
long. I've heard guys, after watching me fight, boast that they could "kill me." One guy said,
"I'll knock him out in ten seconds." Well, there was a ten second knockout but he was the
victim, not I.

You see, after my tight with Tuffy, I started working and developing unorthodox stances
and experimenting with ways to make them work for me. One manager, when he learned that
I'd knocked out more than four hundred boxers, said that my style was okay against yokels
and carnival boxers, but it'd never work against his title contender.

1 knew what he was telling his fighter. It was easy to outsmart him and sucker him into my
right. He left town shaking his head in disbelief.

If you're smart you can sucker a "smart boxer" much easier than you can a beginner or yo-
kel or carnival or street fighter. All you've go! to do is feint and lead a smart guy. A beginner
is usually so inexperienced that he doesn't know what you're doing. So many of your good
fakes arc lost.

This book is small and, at first glance, many will think they are getting short-changed. But
if you can make one of these stances work for you, and there's no reason you can't make
ihcm all work, this small book can be worth thousands (maybe millions] of dollars to you.

By learning Ihe value of stance and perfecting all these stances I'm preseniing to you, I've
earned many thousands of dollars. So... you're getting a value worth many times the five or
ten you pay for this information.

As I've said before, a book is little more than a guideline. If you glance through a book and
then toss i! aside, you've lost the time it took you to glance through il.

If a reader of my books takes the time to study them and interprets the lessons properly
and correctly, that reader will profit a hundredfold. And if he finds a lesson difficult, he
should study and keep studying until he masters the maneuver.

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

Most anything you try for the first time is a bit hard to do. Even when, as a baby, you
learned to walk it took a lot of falling to master the art of a simple walk, which you now take
for granted. Think about it... if you'd given up the first time you fell when trying to walk for
the first time, you'd be crawling around on your belly... now!

Practice makes perfccl. So study these stances and perfect them. They can make you king
of your division.

The Various Stances... Good and Bad

As I mentioned, the popular stance in today's boxing is the stand-up. hands-he Id -high ver-
sion. There is a good case for this style. It's easy to learn. The hardest part of this stance is
learning to hold your hands up. And it's reasonable to assume that if your hands are up
around your face it offers a lot of protection. The style has been employed successfully by all
classes of boxers.

But I'm always pleased when I sec one of my adversaries employing the "popular" stance
and style of boxing. His hands are high and that appears to be an obstacle. Bui it's a joy for
me. I see what I'm after... his chin. His chin is well above his shoulders, protected only by his
gloves.

What am I going to do about it?

To punch, the boxer must lower a gloved hand, one or both of them, and that leaves his
chin sitting up high on a tee. All I need do is "drop my big bomb" on his exposed chin, or an-
other portion of his body that is open.

That's where my unorthodox stance comes in handy. It's what I've been expecting, have
known would happen. I take advantage of his poor training and lack of ability and put him on

Illustration 128 Illustration 129

Before 1 teach you the GOOD stances, I'll show you the stances you see too often.

Section Four
The Thomas Technique Series

Illustrations 128 through 132 give examples oF the popular stances employed by many box-
ers today. The hands are high, the chin is high, and the feet are almost parallel. The boxers
are easy to set up for a crusher and easy to land on.

Illustration 130

Illustration 131

Illustration 133 is the exact stance I "'invented" to beat Tuffy. Since then I have employed it
to KO more than 400 opponents. One of its great values is that it appears to put the user
(you or me) in a position where he can't do loo much. And ihercin lies the deception thai
gives it superiority over other stances.

Illustration 132

Illustration 133

Let me explain how it works. It's easy to learn and it's effective. After watching me work
from this unorthodox stance (punching the heavy bag) Gene Tunney said, "Champ, you can
put more leverage on a punch... than any fighter I ever saw. Even more power pound for
pound than Jack Dempsey or Max Bacr or Joe Louis. I can see that you've done a lot of
work on it. That educated step you take in landing the punch gives it extra power."

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

The "step" is simple. In Illustration 1 34 you step forward with your left foot and ram a kill-
ing left into your opponent's mid section. You do the same in Illustration 135. In Illustration
136 you put a straight left on his chin. To land effectively with your right, you should step
forward to your left with your left foot, pivot with your right foot and twist all your body into
the punch... a right hand as shown in Illustrations 137-138. With a little practice, you can put
double force into all the punches. All you've got to do is "time" your opponent and catch him
coming in. It's easy to learn and it will give you tremendous knockout power.

Illustration 134

Illustration 135

Every time I watch a rush-in fighter I think of a hundred fighters I caught coming in. Any
guy who came at me like a tiger... went out like a broken light. 1 kept practicing, and still
practice, until I could counter any punch, even the fastest punches. You can do the same or
better.

Illustration 137

Section Four
The Thomas Technique Series

I've flattened dozens of boxers with the punches I display in Illustrationsl34-135-l36. The
right shown in Illustrations 137-138 has bagged me most of my one-punch knockouts and
you can stop all your opponents with the punch. A little practice will give you the MAGIC
TOUCH.

Although 1 do most of my damage with cotinterpimchcs, I know how to make a tighter
lead to me. If he doesn't lead, I carry the fight to him with a scries of feints and a few ram-
ming lefts like in Illustrations 134 and 135. As you can see, this type of punch is hard for him
to counter. It keeps you covered and in a position to follow with other punches. From the
usual stances he doesn't have the reach to touch you. Most will try. though, and that's when
you get them. From the Illustrations 133, 134, 135 and 136 you are set to fire a ramming kit
jab, a killing right hand, an overhand right, a left hook, or back off. You can also launch a
two-fisted attack of your own without much danger of falling into one of his traps.

One Navy champion who had a string of a dozen consecutive knockouts (I thin): I men-
tioned him in one of my other books) challenged me and I stopped him with this maneuver:
From the Illustration 4 stance I faked the Illustration 134 shot, then 1 countered his counter-
ing left hook with a right as shown in Illustration 137. I followed the right with a powerful
left hook to his jaw. and the right-left combination stopped him cold. The crushing defeat
ended his fistic career.

When your opponent sees you in the Illustration 133 stance he's going to: 1 . Wait for you
to lead. 2. Flick a left jab to feci you out. 3. Fire a right to your left side. 4. Try a hard left
hook to "lift you up tor his other punches."

Let's take them one at a time. If he waits for you to lead... Lead. You can flick a left in a
"feeling" action. You can back away, pretending to be scared. Or you can step in with a pile-
driving left as in Illustrations 134-135-136. By using your left to lead... you always retain
your stance so that you can put over a "finishing" right or a "finishing" left hook. If he flicks
a fast left, it doesn't give you much chance to counter effectively. But a left flick is easy to
block and it doesn't pose much of a threat. But you can pretend his left flick is troubling you
and lure him into giving you a clear opening. When he gets a bit careless ... you can drop
your big bomb.

If he tries a right to your left side... well, it's not as easy as it may look to him. It's easy for
you to avoid his right. It's almost impossible for him to reach your head with any kind of
punch and it's hard for him to reach your left side. Your left can give a lot of trouble to the
guy who tries to batter your side. I can recall being hit only once with a right in the left ribs.
It embarrassed me more than it hurt me and I retaliated so viciously that I almost ripped his
nose off his face. From the Illustration 133 stance you want your opponent to try his finishing
left hook, then go inside with a straight right to his body or head. My favorite target was the
left side under his left lead. I broke many ribs with the body shot. Once I broke a guy's rib
and a splinter of the rib exploded out through his back. You can do as well or better than 1
did. Just tell yourself that you are the best, then prove it.

To practice these killing punches, ask a friendly boxer to act as a target. Pad his mid-
section so that your punches won't injure him. Then ask him to fire away with the type
punches you want to learn to counter. Don'i let the spar mate get cute and try any fancy stuff
until you can counter the standard punches. I keep spar mates shooting left hooks and left

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

jabs until I can counter them. At firs! have the boxer go in slow motion, then have him pick
up speed. You'll be surprised at how fast you'll learn to slip and counter punches.

Take the Illustration 133 stance and ask the spar mate to try a wide left hook in slow mo-
tion. It'll be easy for you to go to his left side with a straight right. Take it easy unless you
have ihe target area padded. You can also shoot ramming straight lefts to his body.

Illustration 138

Illustration 139

I consider Illustrations 133 through 13S aggressivc-aHinlering hLuiccs and aclion. Illustra-
tion 143 is a stand-up boxing defensive stance. It's a version of the Illustration 133 stance. Il-
lustration 143 is my world famous "Sioncwull Defense" siancc. In many ways it is more valu-
able than the Illustration 133 stance. As you can see, the Illustration 143 stance doesn't give
your opponent many targets. Yet it has a lot of flexibility and gives you freedom to outbox
your opponent. You can also put enormous power in your punches. And when you achieve
perfection in all these stances and perfect the punches you can tire out of these "fortresses,"
you'll be a super champion.

Illustration 140

Illustration 141

Illustrations 146-147- 148-149 demonstrate the punches you can fire from the Illustration
143 stance. Illustration 144 shows the step Gene Tunney mentioned when he complimented
me on my punching power. Illustration 145 shows how the feel should be when the right

Section Four
The Thomas Technique Series

hand lands. The X at ihc right of the left heel is where the left toe was when the punch
started. Notice how the foot has moved forward, and how the right foot has pivoted and the
toe dug in to put more power on the punch. The entire body should twist and "go into" the
punch along with the pivoting-pushing foot. Then if you've timed your punch right and
caught your opponent coming in to nail you... your punch will be a real killer and (here isn't
much chance that he will survive.

Illustration 142

Illustration 143

Illustrations 1 39 and 142 arc the southpaw versions of the Illustrations 133 and 143
stances. Illustration 142 gives you a perfect shot of the Perfect Defensive stance. Your oppo-
nent does not have a target. You are in a solid fortress and can fire any of your big guns. Ac-
tually you're more like a "super army tank" with a number of big guns protruding from both
sides and the rear instead of only the tank's front.. You can move in any direction, hold the
solid defense, and still remain in position to punch with knockout power. You can flick the
right, ram it with stunning force, hook it with KO power, or shift in with a finishing left...
straight, uppcrcut. swinging wide hook.

Illustrations 140 and 141 demonstrate the wide-legged way your feet should be in all of my
stances. The trouble with most fighters is they stand too close. Meaning, of course, that their
left and right feet are too close. They don't have the proper balance to put great leverage into
their punches. They can't move fast and still retain their punching power. Many of the ama-
teur handlers disagree with mc, but I've proven time and again that my stances are superior.

A few of my students have trouble pulling into the "turtle-like shell" of the stonewall de-
fensive stance. They've gone around all their lives with their necks stretched high and thcir
backs ramrod stiff. All their lives they've been told not to slump, not to slouch. Well, in box-
ing you must learn to slump and bring your shoulders up in a sort of wrap-round to protect
your jaw and chin.

How lo Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

Illustration 144

Illustration 145

It's pretty discouraging 10 teach a boxer who has no bend in his back. A straight spine may
be great in the Army, but it's a derriment to you in boxing.

Illustration 146

Illustration 147

I present Illustrations 150-151 to aid you in easing into the harder stances. I use the word
"harder" because I know my stances aren't as easy as merely placing your elbows on your
beltlinc, then raising your fists up along your jaw lines. (That's ihc way most know-nothings
teach their students.) But I guarantee you that when you learn the stances presented in this
book, you will be far superior to the "know nothing" graduates.

Illustration 150 is a "wider" version of the Illustration 133 stance. All you need to do to
change Illustration 150 to 133 is lift your left hand, extend it out, then tuck your chin a little
closer to your shoulder and maybe crouch a bit lower. Then you're in position to destroy
your opponent.

Section Four
The Thomas Technique Series

n

Illustration 148

Illustration 149

In Illustration 151 you twist a little to your own right, put your chin on your chest, your
left cheek bone against your left shoulder, lower your left glove about three inches, lift your
opened right glove up in front of your face, and you have the stance in lllustratio

Illustration 150 Illustration 151

Illustration 152 demonstrates a point most amateurs never learn. The X on the left knee
pinpoints the secret. The boxer has fired a left as in Illustration 153. As you can see, it was a
long left and, without the bend in that left knee, the punch wouldn't have reached the target.
The knee bend, whether you're punching with a left or a right, will give you more reach and
power. I always stress this: DON'T RAISE YOUR RIGHT FOOT WHEN FIRING A LEFT
OR RIGHT! Too many beginners raise their ri»ht foot when they shoot a punch. Thai's
about the equivalent of stopping the power on a rocket when it's lifting off the launching pad.

Another problem I find is that many students block their own view when they raise their
righlhandup in front of their face. The problem... they aren't turning far enough to their own
right. When you raise your right up in front of your face keep the glove open and extend your
thumb so that it touches your left shoulder. Now you should turn your left shoulder far
enough to your right so that you can see your opponent with both eyes.

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

Illustration 152

Illustration 153

As I explained in my book Boring's Stonewall Defense, don't reach out to block punches.
You have a natural defense but you've got to practice from about three inches. Some begin-
ners hold their hands in the correct position, but they do not block. The other boxer's punch
hits their glove and knocks it into their own nose, doing almost as much damage as it
would've if it had hit the nose directly. So you should practice and learn to biock without
moving your hand from its stance position. In practicing, start slow with your opponent firing
easy punches. When you can block easy and light blows, then increase the power and speed.
Soon you will be blocking the hard punches and countering with solid effect.

These stances are THE BEST, but stance alone cannot win a fight for you. By that. I mean
that you can't just stand there... you've got to fight back. Illustrations 142-143 are my world
famous stance defenses. They leave you almost impossible to hit effectively. About the only
target is the top of your head, your shoulder, and your arms. But hard punches can eventually
doa great deal of harm to your arms, shoulders, and skull.

So you must consider these stances and defenses like an army does a fortress. Obviously, if
the defenders of the fortress do not fight back, one man with a little dynamite could eventu-
ally destroy the fortress. But a well-defended fortress can hold off a formidable army.

With a little practice (probably a lot of practice and determination) you can make these
stances your fortress, and develop the firepower to defend it. You'll have the superior
knowledge anu"the superior firepower.

You may be wondering how you can have more boxing know-how and firepower than
your opponent. Well, study my books and they'll steer you right. They contain the informa-
tion to transform you into a super expert in all areas of boxing. All you need do is add a lot of
practice and determination. If you possess the desire to be the greatest boxer in history, the
best manager, the best trainer, or a successful promoter, all you need is to exercise that de-
termination. This information is available to everyone, but not one individual in a hundred
million will add the most important portion... the required determination.

This book gives you a blueprint for the best stances in boxing. My other books provide ex-
pertise in all areas of boxing. But I believe stance and defense are two of the most important

Section Four
The Thomas Technique Series

elements in boxing. You have just learned them in this important book. Yes, this information
can be worth thousands, maybe millions of bucks lo you.

Remember, though, it takes two to make a deal, I've given the information and that's my
part of the deal. And my part is worthless if you do not take advantage of it. Toss this book
aside and forget it and it is worthless. So your part of our deal to make you the great boxer
you can be... is work and determination. I know that if you give 100% to your part of the
deal... you will be a champion.

Good luck! CHAMPION!

flow to Develop Boxing's Best Footwork
(and Out-Maneuver All Your Opponents)

There aren't many boxing trainers who stress the importance of footwork. Oh, they scream
and yell like hell at their students, but their words arc often designed to impress those watch-
ing the workouts. Most of the trainers do not understand the importance of footwork.

I have always been an advocate of good solid footwork. I can watch a Tighter shadowbox,
spar, or move about the ring, and determine the value of his overall footwork. And I can
watch a trainer teaching his student and learn the value of Ihe trainer as a trainer; I usually
base this evaluation on whether or not the trainer lets his student employ sloppy footwork.

Once in the early days of television I was watching Ray Robinson "working" a match with
a mediocre boxer. There was a group of light fans watching. During the bout Robinson did a
little hop back and forth as he let the guy get a short rest. The hop (or dance) consisted of
Robinson hopping forward about twelve inches, then jumping back to his starting point. Back
and forth he bounced, exhibiting rhythm and class.

"Lookit that footwork!" one fan chortled. "Yeah," another one put in. "Robinson's got the
best footwork in boxing."

I agree that Robinson had excellent footwork. But the hopping he was doing wasn't
footwork. That liltlc rhythmic dance he was doing was a bit of show business creeping out as
he waited to employ his accurate footwork to carry him to an easy victory.

Dancing on one's toes does not constitute good or classy footwork. Boxing fans see a
fighter hopping around the ring with any measure of smoothness, and the fans think the
fighter has classy footwork. But dancing has very little to do with accurate footwork. The
best dancing in the world doesn't make boxing footwork aid a boxer in any way. Dancing
alone is worthless.

I watched a parrot trainer give instructions to a fighter recently mouthing some good
words... but he did not make a single reference to the boxer's feet. And the guy's feet were
tangled during (he entire session. What was really disgusting... the irainer kept shouting,
"Beautiful!"

It was thoroughly disgusting. A boxer with his legs tied in knots, his body completely
devoid of balance, his punches without power, and his idiot trainer telling him he was doing
BEAUTIFUL.

How lo Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

It takes a lot of hard work from a trainer and a lot of dedication on the part of the boxer to
produce accurate footwork. And GOOD footwork is something boxers must have if they
expect to gel far in boxing. In my first book in this series (How lo Develop Boxing's Best
Stance) 1 presented the stances that will guide you around the ring and teach you how your
footwork can give you a big edge on your opponent.

Footwork was first popularized by ex-heavyweight champion James J. Corbett. Corbett
was called the dancing master. Of course, though, he did a lot more than dance. If you ever
see any of the early day movie pictures of Corbett, study them closely and you'll get a lesson
on accuracy, balance and leverage.

Many lop notch boxers seem to do a great deal of "fiddling" around in the ring... jumping
to and fro. It often is construed as classy footwork. And the layman seldom notices that the
boxer must shift his feet into position before he can punch. There's a great deal of wasted
motion in the helter-skelter footwork. One boxer I watched recently, for no reason that I
could see, hopped up and down seventy-three times in a single round. In a ten-rounder he
would' ve hopped up and down a total of 730 times.

I teach a superior brand of footwork. I like to sec my students, regardless of the heat of the
action, remain in position to punch with knockout power, move in any direction, and punch
from any angle. In fact, I insist that my fighters develop that kind of footwork. I maintain that
it's just as easy for them to learn and do it right as it is to do it all wrong.

To paint a simple picture of footwork, I'll compare it with a fifty story building. If the
foundation of that building is faulty, the entire structure is completely worthless. The same
goes for a boxer. He may be as smart as anyone, possess all the physical power required, but
if his feet are tangled he will not be a very formidable fighter.

We can understand the adage. . . a chain is as strong as its weakest link. Obviously, a weak
link in the chain makes the chain worthless. It's about the same with a boxer. If his footwork
(the weak link) leaves him vulnerable, his other fine attributes won't save him from defeat.
He'll be an inferior prize fighter.

It's no big problem, though. You have this book and you can learn and develop superior
footwork. And my other books in this series will give you the expertise in all areas of boxing.
It will enable you to become a super boxer and a world champion.

This book is small, as are all the books in the Thomas Technique series. But it is worth
many times the cover price. A few weeks ago I saw a young fistic hopcfiil working in a gym.
His footwork and all his fistic makeup left a great deal to be desired. He worked hard and
seemed to be doing it on his own. I asked him how long he'd been training, and he said three
years. Then I asked him to make a list of the money he had spent on boxing in those three
years . . . ear fare, gasoline, equipment, gym dues, everything. He shrugged and said he'd have
it for me the following day.

His list was staggering. He had worked out five days a week for three years, or a total of
530 davs. His transportation in bus fare and gasoline hud cost him two bucks a day, or a total
of SI. 060. Gym dues had set him back $360. He estimated his training gear at S200. And
along the way a shyster trainer had charged him $100 for personal instructions. It was a
staggering total of $1,720, and he still couldn't stand properly, punch with any authority, or
defend himself with any amount of skill.

Section Four
The Thomas Technique Series

There are literally thousands of youngsters who've been ripped off as this kid was. And
there will be many others in the future.

My most expensive book costs $10, and they range downward. Books aren't always
interpreted correctly, but regardless of how you interpret the contents of one of my books...
it is worth a hundred times more than the value the kid (above) received for his cash.

The secret of learning from a book is. . . STUDY. If you glance at a book and then toss it
aside, you will learn nothing. So. ..STUDY and STUDY and STUDY.

Superior footwork

Illustration 154 demonstrates how to assume the proper stance. Stand at attention as
shown in the dotted lines, then step forward with the left foot. Let your feet pivot as shown
in the solid prints. Some fighters are taught to point their iocs straight at the opponent.
Trainers of that brand should not be in boxing,

Illustration 154 Illustration 155

Illustration 155 gives you a side view of how you and your feet should look. Illustration
156 presents a front view of your feet. Notice: In both 155 and 156 that the knees are bent
slightly.

Illustration 157 shows the spread of the feet. I'm five' eleven" and I keep my toes
approximately 36 inches apart. If you are taller you might want to extend tbe spread a little,
and if you're shorter you might cut the spread. Obviously, if you're a short (lyweight your
feet will be closer together. But, regardless of your height and leg-length, you should keep
your feet wide enough to give you the proper leverage and balance to fight and win.

Many parrot trainers, the kindergarten types, ruin thousands of potential champions. The
parrot hears some other parrot say that a boxer can't move if he has his feet in a wide stance.
So the incompetent is getting his boxing education from parrots and he will spread the mes-
sage... a message that sends hundreds of boxers to oblivion.

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

Illustration 156

Illustration 157

The truth is: A boxer with his feet too close together loses Tilly lo seventy-five percent of
liis ability. And, contrary to the parrot's theory, the boxer can move faster when his feet are
in a wide stance. And he retains his body leverage to conduct his fistic war. So... always, but
always... keep your feet wide.

*0>~k

Illustration 159

Illustration I58 demonstrates how to move backward and forward. You stand in footprints
marked 1 and in position one. To retreat, you hop (in one movement) to position two and
footprints 2. Then to three and four as shown. To advance, you hop from four to three to
two to one. as marked.

Illustration 159 footprints give a very important illustration. Notice how the feet are
jammed together? DO NOT DO THIS! When advancing or retreating many boxers bring
their feet together as shown. It's wrong. DON'T DO IT. If a smart fighter attacks at the
moment your feet are together... you will be blasted down and maybe out. When your feet
are together you do not have any leverage at all. You can't defend or attack. So... remember
lo keep your feet spread apart far enough to give you proper balance.

Seel ion Four
The Thomas Technique Series

Illustration 160

Illustration 161

Illustration 160 shows the boxer moving forward as he is in Illustration 158. The boxer has
started from the Illustration 155 position and. in one jump. hop. or dance, has stopped in the
Illustration 160 position.

5c^6

Illustration 162

Illustration 163

Illustration 161 gives another example of moving in and out. It's a one foot at a time, one
step at a time movement. In Illustration 161 the boxer has moved his right foot back about
ten inches. If he wants to continue this type of retreat he can move the left foot back to the X
spot. You can move in and out like this in a very effective way. And many times you will only
move one foot. A step back (as shown) will often pull you out of range of his punch and still
leave you in a good position to counter. And often you will want to step forward with your
left foot to give added power to your left jab. (You'll get this education in my book on
knockout punching.)

How to Be An Ass -Whipping Boxer

Illustration 162 is a lesson in circling your opponent and punching target. At the bottom of
the illustration your feet are set on zero. Your feet (dark short lines) are perfectly spread and
you have a solid stance against the target. You have the leverage and the power to destroy
the target. But. as this is a lesson in circling, we'll stick to getting you around the target. In
circling in any direction, you move your right foot first, then you shift the left foot to keep it
in a solid fooling stance. Your right foot is making a wider circle, so it takes a longer step. In
this illustration, your right foot (zero) steps to number one, then you move your left foot to
number two. You shift on around the target, moving your feet as shown. After each one-two
step you are in position to make championship moves. In fact, after the leading right step in
any of the positions, you arc in a good position to make any major move.

In case you want to circle to your left you merely reverse the procedure. You shift your
right fool to the print marked #13 in the illustration, then your left foot is moved to #14. In
this same manner it is easy to continue cither way around your target. And, going to your
right or left, you're always in a good solid position to punch or defend yourself.

Illustration 163 points out the wrong way to start your circle to the right. This, as you can
sec, does not leave you in position to make an effective move. You can't fire deadly punches
or control the action. I've lead with this type left step as a feint in a strategic move, but I
don't recommend it until you master the solid moves. I'll go into strategy in another book.

Illustration 164

Illustration 165

In Illustration 164 you start circling in the proper and correct way... right foot first. In
Illustration 165 you follow with your left foot. As you can sec, you retain a solid stance. You
can move in any direction and punch from any angle.

In Illustration 166 we start a three-piclure series giving a clear picture of the circling
movement. It will, hopefully, give you a better understanding of why keeping your feet in
good position is very important. You'll notice that the target (opponent) stands still and you
know he won't in a real fight. Still, you can make this circling maneuver pay off for you in
most bouts. This is especially true when you employ the circling movement as a side-step
(which we will describe later in this lesson). We will also mention this in our book on
strategy.

Section Four
The Thomas Technique Series

Illustration 166

Illustration 167

In Illustration 166 you have made two steps with your right foot (see Xs) and one step
with your left. This movement is similar to Ihe circling movement shown in Illustration 162,
and a stand-up version of the sidestep coming up.

In Illustration 167 you have made a long step with your right foot and a short one with
your left. As you can see, you are in excellent position. You are prepared for any move your
opponent makes. You are also in a good position to land a knockout punch.

Illustration 168 Illustration 169

In Illustration 168 you have almost completely made the circle. You have made a long step
with your right and a sizable one with your left... from X to X. Your chin is down and your
stance is 100% right.

In Illustration 169 you start the circle to your left. You're holding your stonewall defense
stance. You've made a correct step with your right foot. You are in position to move
forward, backward, sidestep, or continue to circle.

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

Illustration 170

Illustration 171

In Illustration 170 you have moved your left fool over in a short step and fired your left.
Your feet arc in perfect position. Your chin is down, your protecting right hand is up, and
you have command of the fight.

In Illustration 171 the boxer continues his circle to the left. His left fist has snapped back
and is cocked and ready. He is set to counter any move his foe makes. He can circle on
around to his left, he can circle back to his right, he can advance or retreat, and he can fire
any of his big guns.

Illustration 172

Illustration 173

Illustration 172 presents the answer to a problem most boxers are guilty of. Muhammad Ali
popularized the ropey-dopey cover-up that is getting a lot of boxers knocked out. They back
to the ropes, pull their feet back on a parallel line with the bottom rope, then lift their hands
and elbows up in protection.

Section Four
The Thomas Technique Series

I've never been in favor of covering up and Idling a fighter pound on me. Sooner or later a
hard puncher is going to break me in little pieces. When I hack into the ropes I do it like in
Illustration 172. You will notice that my right foot is braced under the bottom rope and my
left foot is well out in front of me. I can clinch, and I can launch an effective counter attack.
But if 1 were to pull my left foot back to the rear X. I would be at the mercy of my opponent.

Practice this cover-up. It will save your fistic life. Study Illustration 172. Notice that the
defensive boxer is braced in a solid stance... ready to take an aggressive offensive. You see,
when a boxer has you on the ropes he thinks he has you and will take wide open chances to
end it. In doing so he leaves you an opening for your knockout punches. So you should be in
position to take advantage of the openings when they come. Illustration 172 cover will save
you from defeat and give you sweet victory.

Footwork and all parts of boxing fit together somewhat like the pieces of a puzzle. Each
piece and every piece of the puzzle is very important. And the pieces of the boxing puzzle
will all come together in the Thomas Technique (TT) series.

Illustration 174

Illustration 175

Illustration 173 is a rough drawing that demonstrates a perfect sidestep. All boxing fans
have heard of the sidestep. Any boxing dunce thinks he knows how it's done. Most of the
sidesteps I've seen do no more than get the boxer in further trouble.

The sidestep I present in Illustrations 173-174 are the best and can be of use to anyone, in
or out of a boxing ring. Once, in an Australian alley, it saved me from great injury and maybe
death. It has helped many of my students (especially females) in life or death escapes.

I mentioned my alley escape in one of my other books but it's worth repeating. The drunk
Aussie backed me into the alley and lunged at me with a broken Scotch bottle. In a reflex
move 1 sidestepped as described in Illustrations 173-174, The drunk shoved the bottle against
the bricks, shattering glass and cutting himself badly. Even today, I shudder when I think of
my belly if the jagged bottle had tore into me.

In Illustration 173 you will get the message and it will be worth a great deal to you. The
cross marks are footprints. (Use your imagination.) We are starting wilh the ones marked
with zeros. The dark center with the X is the target. In this case we imagine it is a tough

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

fighter determined to crush you... kill you with punches. As the fighter rushes you, you shift
your feet. Your left foot shifts back to number I, and your right moves to number one
forward. Both feet move simultaneously. This is very important... both feet move at the same
time. If you step back with your left foot, then forward with your right foot, then move your
body to the right... the sidestep is worthless. The feet and the body (leaning with the right
foot) must be as one.

Illustration 174 gives you a better understanding of how your feet and body shift. The
fighter on the right has aimed his ramming left fist at your chin, which was where the big X
was (top of picture left). You can sec how your feet have moved as described in the first
move in Illustration 173. You can also see how your upper body has ducked forward and is
almost vertical with your left knee. His lunge is carrying him forward toward the big X. You
are in perfect position to do anything you desire. You can step forward with your left foot
and ram a piledriving left to his body or face. You ean put a KO right to his side or head. Or
you can continue to circle as shown in Illustration 173, moving your right foot to number 2.
Then shifting your left foot lo number 2. Then on around the target as illustrated.

This move can be used to cut down the ring when a fleet-footed boxer is attempting to
escape from a comer, or circle off the ropes. When he moves fast to his left and to your right,
trying lo get out of a trap, you make the sidestep to your right and you stop his exit. It may
require more than one step to stop him, but you arc in position lo shift again and continue
until you corner him.

If, when you shift to your right, he sees that you arc cutting his escape and he decides to go
in the other direction, you can retrace your steps and prevent his escape to his own right. In
retracing your steps i recommend thai you lead with your left foot. But keep your body in the
same position as in Illustration 174. Look at 174. In retracing your steps to cut his shift to his
right, you step to the left with your left foot, then follow with your right.

You can move one foot at a time or you can hop as you do in advancing or retreating in
basic footwork. You can also employ the same (both feet at the same time) movement as you
circle as shown in Illustration 173.

The Illustrations 173-174 sidesteps, as all footwork, should be practiced until you move
perfectly. When you master this sidestep, practice punching from the various angles. Ask a
sparring partner to work with you. Ask him to lunge at you with a hard left jab, and sidestep
it. Start slowly and increase the speed as you improve. Ask the spar mate to try escaping
from a corner so that you can practice cutting off the ring. The lime worn adage ... practice
makes perfect, still works.

Illustration 175 shows how the feet play a very important part in punching. Notice how the
boxer on the left has shifted his left foot to the left, pivoted on his right foot as he avoids a
left lead, and then countered with a right to the guy's body. To put more power on the
punch... the boxer could' ve stepped forward with his left foot just as he fired his right.

Illustration 176 presents a left to the body. The aggressive boxer gives an example of
perfection. His feet are correct, his guard is just right, and his body is in line with his long jab.
If he had wanted to put more power on his jab he could' ve stepped forward with his left foot.
He is set to follow with any punch or move he chooses. He can block, he can sidestep, he can
step forward or backward, and he can counter anything the other guy tries.

Section Four
The Thomas Technique Series

Illustration 176

Illustration 177

One thing to remember: Always PIVOT. 1 will give more info on pivoting in my book on
KO punching. The pivot I'm referring to now is the one that keeps feet in line. Example;
When you circle in a given direction, you normally take the fire! step with your right foot. As
you step, the other foot must pivot, if only slightly, to prevent you from being awkward.

Beginners often keep their left foot "glued" to the floor when they make the first circling
step. I saw the guy I mentioned, after he'd spent close to two grand, still making the mistake.

Practice it wrong to understand it. Set your feet in a perfect stance, keep the left foot
planted solidly on the floor, then take a long step to your left with your right foot. Notice
how it twists and hurts your left knee? Now take the same step with your right, but lei your
left foot pivot on the ball so that it keeps stance alignment with your right foot. Sec the
difference? Once you master it. . . you will be unaware that you make the pivot.

In this book I have given you a blueprint so you can develop the best footwork in boxing.
Learn the lessons and practice them until perfect footwork becomes a part of you and your
boxing style — like hrcathing, and you will be superior to any man in hoxing.

Mow to Develop Boxing's Best Left Jab

(and Outclass All Your

Boxing Opponents)

In Boxing's Best Stance and In Boxing's Best Footwork (my first two books in 'The Tho-
mas Technique" scries) you learned how to stand and move properly. In this book you will
learn a superior left jab. The left jab is probably the most important punch in scientific boxing.

I like to think of a left jab much as an army commander thinks of a four-man patrol. The
commander has ten thousand men under his command. They arc braced to attack an opposing
army. They know that the enemy is there but they don't know the power and exact location

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

of the enemy. A wrong move could spell doom for the commander and his thousands of men.
So what does he do? He seeks information. And to get info the commander sends out four
and six-man patrols to probe the enemy's territory. So the commander gets his info without
having to commit his army. Then he makes his battle plans to cope with the situation.

Boxing is similar to that army situation. You're facing a tough opponent. You probably
won't know his strength and weaknesses. So you have got to send a patrol to probe his de-
fense. A few light, (licking jabs can often get an opponent to tip his hand. He will show you,
by his reaction to your leads, what you want to know.

The flick left, the power left, feints, and moves with your feet can lure the opposing fighter
and he'll give you an opening for a KO punch. And it could make you a first round knockout

1 like the flick when I'm "probing" a foe's defense. A flick doesn't leave you open for a
counterattack. I have, however, employed a powerful ramming left to make a fighter try to
counter.

In this book I will concentrate on various methods of jabbing. You will learn how to make
a foe dance to your tune in my book on Superior Strategy.

The Best Left Jab

Illustration 179

A boxer who docs not develop a good left jab is cheating himself. But you are not that
boxer You have this book and you have the blueprint for the best left jab in boxing. Even it
100.000 sludents buy this book, you can emerge a winner. If one percent of the 100,000
study the book and do everything right, that will be 1000 boxers with a perfect left. They will
be scattered throughout the world and in all weight classes. Your chance of meeting one of
them in the ring is very slim. And if you do meet one in the ring you will probably have the
overall ability to defeat him.

The Thomas Technique Series

Illustration 178 presents the stonewall stance. The guy has his feci on a direct line to the
target. His chin is well down behind his shoulder. His left is too low but when he raises the
gloved hand to the circled 1 on his left chest, his stance and defense will be perfect. He can
aitack and defend in a class above ordinary professionalism.

Illustration 179 gives a fairly good picture of my stonewall defensive style. The left glove is
a little too far around to his right side. The glove is at the proper level but should be in a line
with his left knee.

Let's hold on Illustration 1 79 for a momcnl and study this stance. The feet are perfect. The
right glove is in a position to block a left hook or a left jab. and even a right hand shot. The
shoulder is high and will ward off any type punch. Only the lop of his head is "open." And he
is set to "kill" his opponent while the guy goes for his scalp. There is one problem, it seems.
The man appears to be blocking his own vision... but he isn't. There's a three- or four-inch
area between the palm of his glove and his protecting shoulder. He can see every move his
foe makes, and he can counter any move. More important... he can fire KO punches with
both hands.

Too often a beginner puts his right glove in front of his eyes and the back of the glove
against his nose and mouth. When his foe puts over any kind of punch, the blow drives the
prolecling hand back into the defensive fighter's face. This usually discourages the guy and
he goes back to something easy but will never propel him an inch up the fistic ladder of suc-
cess. So the boxer gives up without a real try. Had he done the same the first lime he at-
tempted to walk, loday he'd be crawling.

Illustration 1

Illustration 181

Illustration 180 is a good example of one way to use a straight left from the stonewall de-
fense. It is a "duck to the right" and counter under the foe's leading left. Actually, the defen-
sive boxer could have remained upright, blocked the punch with his right glove (his glove
open like catching a baseball with one hand), ihcn countered with the same type punch he
blocked. Bui this illustrated counter is a good one.

How to Be An Ass- Whip ping Boxer

In Illustration 181 the boxer on the left is in perfect position. He's set solidly in the stone-
wall stance. His left can snap out with blinding speed. He can put it on target with KO force.
Yes. that is right, a knockout left jab. (I'll give you KO power in all your punches in my book
on KO punching.)

The "tracer lines" show you the main targets. V m sure you can see more. After one jab you
can follow with a crushing right, then follow the right with a crushing left hook or a volley of
blows.

Illustration 182

Illustration 183

Illustration 182 starts with a curved jab to the right side of the target boxer's face. You
also have the option of shooting a curved jab (2) to his left jaw line, a straight shot to his
body (3), or a crusher to his mouth. Then, of course, you can follow up with a right, more
lefts, or move away.

Many of these illustrations may appear to be similar. They arc. The entire learning process
is based on repetition. To make anything perfect... you must study and practice. A golfer can
be the greatest champion on the tour, bul he still practices the same as he did when he was
starting. In fact, most golfers, bowlers, pool players, etc., devote much time to preparing for
competition. They realize the importance of preparation. Most boxers, after a little success,
seem to think they invented the sport. Oh, they go to a gym and work and sweat to get some
practice.

Illustration 183 demonstrates an excellent jab to the boxer's face. It also points out a very
deceptive move that'll aid you many times in your fistic career. You can "cut" your oppo-
nent's vision... block his view so that he cannot see your next move. This is a strategic move
and you'll get more of it in Superior Strategy.

Notice that your glove is directly in front of his eyes. He cannot sec you to determine your
next move. So... it's easy to follow with a KO right. He does not know if you're aiming at
his beltline. his left side, or his jaw.

This "vision blocking" works especially well when a boxer is covering like Ali did. You
see, the boxer usually holds his gloves up in front of his face, with a small opening between
the gloves to watch you. If you ram your left glove to his "watching route" you will cut his

Section Four
The Thomas Technique Series

vision of you. The split second he can't see you, you can aim a right to a vital target. It has a
good chance of landing because he can't see it.

The illustration also gives you an idea of the options you have. I. You arc in position to jab
again. 2. You see several targets on your right. 3. You can circle lo your right or left. 4. You
can advance and retreat. 5. You can sidestep. 6. You can launch a two-fisted volley of blows.

Illustration 184 Illustration 185

In Illustration 184 the attack boxer has stepped with his left foot. The target boxer is in no
position to defend properly. His feet are almost parallel. Your ramming left can rock him off
balance, leaving him a sitting duck for your finishing attack. The Xs you see on his left side,
especially the ones on or near his left jaw line, arc open and begging for KO punches.

You also notice that although you've stepped in to add leverage and power to your punch,
you remain balanced and ready to counteract any move he might try to make.

Practice all these jabbing positions. You don't even need a sparring partner. You don't
have to be in a gym. You can go through the whole oil... in your garage, basement, bedroom
a park, or any place with a few fcet of space. I like a park in summer time. I have a good
workout punching the leaves and small or low branches of the trees. One can follow through
with punches and develop a relaxed rhythm that all good boxers should possess. Just about
everything in boxing can be improved in any location if you have the desire and determina-
tion.

You've probably wondered about the "curved jab" you heard me mention earlier. Well, Il-
lustration 185 presents the curved jab. I "borrowed" the picture from my book How to Cre-
ole A Super Boxer. 1 was surprised at the many students that wrote in for more information
on the big curved punch. So I decided to reproduce the picture and elaborate on it in this
book.

In Illustration 185 the curve jab starts from the dark spot just below the boxer's right
glove. It shoots out to an imaginary target to the right of the target boxer's left shoulder.
When the punch reaches its length it sort of curves over to the left side of his jaw.

How lo Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

i "invented" this punch in a Navy bout in ihc Southwest Pacific in 1943. My opponent and
I were wearing a type glove you seldom see these days. The gloves must have weighed
twenty-four ounces and seemed to have enough padding to stuff a mattress.

The bout was a "finished grudge" battle. We were settling a personal argument and a
grudge battle was supposed to be the answer to personal problems. Our battle didn't have a
round or time length. We were set to struggle until one of us surrendered. Well, five or six
minutes into the match I decided that an overhand right might start him on the road out. I
didn't want to fall into a trap for his own right, though. I had never seen him fight but my
friends said he was a killer with a right hand.

As I watched him trying to set me up for his right, I thought of curving a jab up and around
his big left glove, which he was carrying high. I made the punch look as if it would miss. It
zoomed out to the left of his glove. He didn't worry about it because it was off target and
would miss him. ZOOM! It suddenly curved over his glove and banged lo his left ear. Two
more of the curvers and I had his car half torn off. The punch was landing behind his ear and
ripping back toward his mouth. When he raised his left a lillle higher to ward off the blow, I
nailed him in the guts to finish him.

Illustration 187

Illustration 186 shows the same punch about to land. The punch was stopped short lo give
you a better idea of how the punch can land as a straight or curve jab. You can step in with
power or you can make the punch sail in a flicking action.

I've torn off ears and closed eyes with the curve. Great power can be put on it. In KO
punching we will teach you how.

The fighters square off in Illustration 187. The man in black trunks has a perfect stonewall
defense. His feet are spaced properly, and his hands are defensively correct. The left glove is
directly above the X close to his right elbow. The tracer lines show the possible routes, and
the circled numbers spot the targets.

In Illustration 188 the altack boxer's left has shot out and landed in a "curve jab" to the
right side of the target boxer's jaw. As in the curve to the left jaw. the curve to the right jaw,
at first, looks like a miss to the right of the jaw, then sort of curves to the jaw. The punch is

Section Four
The Thomas Technique Series

very deceptive. The opponent is certain the punch is going to miss and is surprised when it
lands. The punch starts close to the X elbow, and can go to all the targets. Top X would be a
curved jab to the jaw, and the body X would be a punch to the belly.

Illustration 188 wuarairon 10a

Once when I was working with Primo Camera in preparation for a boxing exhibition tour
on a wrestling circuit, the ex-champion complimented me on the carve punches. In fact, he
insisted that my left was the best he"d encountered in boxing. "Snarkey and Loughren had
good lefts." he said. "But yours is better. I can't figure it out... how it's coming in?"

As you know or will soon learn, boxers don't always stand still for the punches I'm illus-
trating. But that's no problem tor a Thomas Technique graduate. In my book on superior
strategy you will learn how to make your foe dance to your tunc. For now don't worry about
what the other guy will do. If you hold the stonewall defense, you are similar to an army tank.
The foe can do very little about it. In Illustrations 187-188-189. you can ram the left out and
hold a lough opponent at bay. In Illustration 189 the top tracer is a solid left to the nose of
the target boxer, the middle X a curve to the head and the tower X a ram to the mid-section.
The X on the tloor is a forward step with the left foot to put more power on your punches.

Do not neglect the curve left. It's an important weapon and will help give you victory in all
of your fights. You can curve this punch into either side of your opponent's jaw. My favorite
is the curve to my foe's left ear. I've literally amputated ears and closed eyes with this little
beauty. In my book on KO punching I will teach you how to make this a dangerous tool.

Illustrations 190-191-192 demonstrate the power left. It can do great damage to your op-
ponent. As shown in three pictures here... the maximum amount of reach has been utilized.
The feet are in position to advance, or retreat. You are also in position to sidestep or put
tremendous power on the punch.

The stonewall is a "side-on" stance and it gives you from three to six inches more reach
than any of the "front on" stances. In these pictures you become aware of the reach. In Illus-
tration 190 you see that there is no way the foe is going to land on you. In Illustration 191
the target boxer has been bent slightly forward by the attack boxer's left. His countering jab

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

would" ve barely reached the scalp. But the blow can do no more than graze the top of the
head.

Illustration 190

Illustration 191

Even if it doesn't do any damage you don't want any kind of punch raining oil your head.
So you keep your left hand high to block a punch coming at you.

Illustration 192 gives you an opponent's eye view of a powerful left. The left foot has
come forward and the right foot is pushing hard, giving the blow much more power than an
ordinary straight left.

Illustration 192

Illustration 193

Another thing you will notice is that when a jab is fired to the body, the attack boxer comes
down on a line with the punch, similar to sighting a rifle straight to the target. This enables
you to get more reach and power into the blow.

Illustration 192 gives you, the student, a clear picture of the options available to you. If
your opponent tries to fire a countering left, your hand is up and you can block his punch. If

Section Four
The Thomas Technique Series

he iries a right to your side or head, you can pull away and make him miss, or you can move
inside his counter and make your own counicr land on target. As he is coming in, your punch
will be much more effective. If you pull away and make him miss... your feet arc set and you
are ready to counter and knock him cold. You have retained a solid stonewall defense stance
and are in complete control of the fistic action.

Multiple jabs can be employed in many fight situations. In Illustration 1 93 the attack boxer
lands his first jab on the target boxer's nose. Then, in a machine gun action, he lands three
more.

As you can see, the boxer pulls his jab back about six inches and then shoots it again. This
jab, like all punches or boxing moves, takes practice to perfect.

In my book on Superior Strategy 1 plan to give you many good exercises on how to in-
crease your power and speed on this type of left jab.

Illustration 194

Illustration 195

Illustration 194 gives an example of strategy. You use your left several times to the face
and midsection in a plan to line up a knockout target. In this case you're planning on hitting
him with a KO blast. You lead him to believe that you don't have a right hand. You hurt him
with a series of lefts to the hod- and head. Dig a hard left lo his middle and make him suffer a
little. Then when you start one to his belly, he'll try to block it. And there is a good chance
that he'll give you an opening for a right as in Illustration 194.

One thing you should always remember: When you can punch like you'll be able to after
you finish this scries, it only takes one of your bombs to KO any opponent. I've always been
a firm believer in ending a fight with a single punch. There is not one reason in the world why
you should dilly-dally around and fire a hundred punches when you can do the job with one.
two, or a few punches. You may not believe you'll ever be able to knock out a tough and ca-
pable boxer with one or two punches. But you can!

Once in carnival competition I knocked out twenty-two opponents and I did not use more
than three punches on a single one of the twenty-two. The Illustration 194 move was my fa-
vorite. I got four of the guys with a single left to the solar plexus. I stopped five with left
hooks, and thirteen with overhand rights. I set them up with the Illustration 194 attack. My

How to Be An Ass- Whipping Boxer

left was a killer in itself. One big, 220-poundcr actually puked all over me when I torpedoed
my left straight to his guts. He had been gorging on hotdogs and soda pop, and my hard left
caused him to erupt. The guy collapsed on mc and spewed the vomit on me. 1 would have
killed him, I think, but he was rolling and in great pain. Although the others didn't puke, the
jah hurt them and they didn't want any more of ii. They were so intent on blocking the left,
they forgol my right until they woke up and their buddies told them that I had cold cocked
them with a right.

Illustration 197

Illuslrations 195-196-197 (borrowed from the book Boxing's Stonewall Defense) illustrate
the route of the flicking left jab. In Illustration 197, you see how it is supposed to land on tar-
get... palm down and straight from the shoulder.

Illustration 195 gives a good example of a stonewall and how it protects you. The tracer
line to the target boxer's nose is how the blow will travel.

Illustration 196 catches the left half way to the target. The fist is starting to turn. It will
land on the target as shown in Illustration 197. Notice that, in Illustration 197, the palm is
down and the arm is extended out from the shoulder. Also notice that the defense is in a pro-
tective mold. The opposition docs not have a chance of countering.

Earlier we mentioned that a chain is no stronger than its weakest link. And we've said that
boxing is like a chain with many links. Well, the left jab is one of those links. This book gives
you a hlueprint so you can develop the jab to a point of perfection. Don't let lack of ambition
slow you down. A Thomas Technique left jab can be a strong link in a chain that can give you
the ability to become a great champion.

Go for it!

Section Four
The Thomas Technique Series

llow to Develop Boxing's Best Left Hook

(and Add a Real "Jawbreaker"

to Your Tistic Arsenal)

Many great fighters in the past have relied on a left hook lo gain them victory. So confident
were they of their ability to stop their opponents with a single left hook that they neglected
defense and other punches.

Charley White, a featherweight contender in the 1915-1925 era, depended on a left hook to
stop his opponents. He would fire the potent left round after round, hoping to put over his
crushing one-punch knockout. And he was very successful with that powerful left hook But
he cheated himself by using only half of his punching potential.

Al "Bummy" Davis was a "left-hook-crazy" lightweight about 1940. Davis would rush out
of his corner at the opening bell and fire a left hook, and then he would re-cock it and shoot
again. Round after round, fight after fight. Davis fired the left hook. He paid no attention to
defense and even less attention to other punches he could've used. And he figured if the
punch landed above his opponent's shoe tops, it was a legal blow.

Henry Cooper was a British heavyweight who favored a left hook. He fought Muhammad
All twice, one time with the title at stake. Cooper loved to wade in and swing a left hook It
worked very successful for him and he won the British Empire title. Cooper knocked out
most of his opponents, and put Muhammad Ali down in their first match.

Cooper. Davis, and White were three of the many fighters who depended on a single left
hook to stop an adversary. Even though they were fairly successful with the left, I think they
cheated themselves by not developing and using a complete arsenal of dangerous punches

There have been hundreds of boxers who could mix a left hook with a solid assortment of
punches. Joe Louis, Jack Dcmpsey, Gene Tunney. Ray Robinson, and Ray Leonard could put
a man down and out with any kind of punch, and they took many foes out with a good left
hook.

I've always maintained that a trainer who lets a fighter become a one-punch competitor is
cheating the man. By one punch. I mean a boxer who relies on one punch to do all his dam-
age. A properly trained boxer shouid be able to stop his opponent with a dozen different
punches.

I've always had a deadly and effective left hook but I've never depended on it exclusively
I've KO'd hundreds of fighters with a left hook, but I've done the same with a straight right,
an overhand right, a right uppercut. and even a straight left.

In this book I will teach you how to use the left hook and score knockouts with it. I will
teach you a superior left hook to go with all your other KO punches. It will become a part of
you and your style. You will integrate it with your other KO wallops. Even though the hook
will be one of your trusted knockout weapons... it will be one of the many.

The left hook has been abused by trainers and they have misled and cheated many ambi-
tious boxers. You see. the incompetent trainers often teach a student a certain left hook, one
version of it, and insist that their version is the only way to do it. It's a shame but there'll al-

How io Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

ways be parrot trainers on the boxing scene. You, the owner of this book, are lucky that I
wrote it and gave you this information. The 'Thomas Technique" left hook will add another
cinch winner to your bag of tricks.

In case you don't know... a parrot trainer is a guy without experience who "parrots" the
words of others to train his students. Even if he says the words the way an expert says them,
the parrot doesn't know if you do it right or wrong. Most important, the parrot doesn't know
what he's saying. They're like a rca! live parrot that asks for a cracker. The feathered bird is
merely repeating words it has heard. A parrot -boxing trainer, in most cases, is no smarter to
boxing than the feathered parrot is in carrying on an intelligent conversation.

Maybe you haven't heard of mc and you wonder if I know what I'm talking about. Well, I
don't blame you. And I'll admit that I've had parrot trainers outtalk mc and take a few good
fight prospects right from under my nose. And those poor fistic prospects have all ended up
in the boxing graveyard.

The 'Thomas Technique" left hooks have earned mc many victories in regulation profes-
sional bouts, in bootleg amateur contests, in carnival fights, in a thousand Navy shooting
workouts, and in many other fights. My students have also been extremely successful
employing this style.

Recently. I heard an inferior trainer teaching his student a left hook. The trainer wasn't
even a good parrot, but he thought he was the best. He told the young fistic hopeful that he
had had close to a hundred pro bouts. 1 knew the guy and knew that he had never competed
in a boxing ring. He was trying to parrot all the trainers he had heard teaching a left hook...
and his final version of the left hook was a disaster. The youngster was eager to do anything
the trainer asked of him. To put it bluntly.... the trainer was telling the student to go north
when he should've told him to go south.

So don't be misled... study this book and all of my books. If you run into interpretation
problems, contact me and I will give you personal instructions on how to do it right.

One of my book students came to Denver to take my personal lessons. He said he had read
many of my books, several of them a dozen times. He had most of the lessons down close to
right, but some were off just enough to make them ineffective. One exceptionally good point
he had missed completely.

"Did you study this lesson?" I asked.

"No," he replied. "I glanced over it and wasn't impressed with it. Some of the other lessons
seemed to be better."

I went over (he "chain is as strong as its weakest link" jazz, and then taught him what he
had missed. He was amazed. "Damn," he said, his eyes opening a lot wider. "I missed the
most important point."

It wasn't the most important point, but it was a valuable lesson. He had cheated himself
when he overlooked the lesson.

The six books in my "Thomas Technique" series have it all. Study each of the books thor-
oughly. I want you to practice the stance, the footwork, the jab, the hook, the power punch-
ing, the strategy.., and then put it all together. It'll be well worth the lime and effort you put
into it.

Section Four
The Thomas Technique Series

Now I Present the Superior Left Hook!

As in all ihe Thomas Technique moves, you work out of the stonewall defense stance. In
this book I will refer to YOU as the attack boxer. YOU are the man in the black trunks.

In Illustration 198 you have a perfect stance. Take your time and study this picture. The
other boxer has shot a left jab, which you have neatly blocked. If he lets go with a right it'll
do no more than swish through the air and maybe brush the top of your head. But you are in
position to put him out of action. Your powerful straight left can addle him and leave him
helpless for a KO right. And a left hook fired by you can end the fight. Dotted lines trace the
route of both the left jab and the left hook.

Illustration 198

Illustration 199

I've KO'd fighters, dozens of them, with each of these blows. The left jab is extremely
dangerous but, as this is on left hooks, we will stick to hooks. The punch goes into the target
(jaw) as the dotted line indicates.

In my hook on KO punching you will learn how to make this hook a one-punch KO wal-
lop. At this time I want you to concentrate on delivering the punch correctly. In practicing
this hook be sure and hold the stonewall defense stance. Do not let your left side turn to your
left as you try to get "swinging room" and more push in the hook. Just follow the pattern
shown in the picture. The target can be a heavy bag, a tree branch in the park, or merely the
air as in shadowboxing. At first relax and do it slowly, somewhat like a kitten pawing at a
dangling string. You may want to slap with the hand open. The target can be anything. Get a
relaxed rhythm in the punch. After you get it smooth and fee! that it's right, you can close
your fist and put power and zip on it.

Look at the picture. When your fist gets out over his left glove, twist your body into the
punch and, at the same time pivot your left foot and put all your pushing power on the blow.

Illustration 199 presents a slick hook somewhat like the curve left jab, but it is different and
deadlier. The punch goes out a little off target, and then curves over to the target like a

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

swinging baseball bat. Like the curve left jab. you shoot to the right of the target, then curve
it to the spot you desire.

To practice and develop this stiff-arm you can use it on a bag, tree branch, or in sparring.
Keep the palm down and make the index finger of the fist the landing weapon. You will learn
how to make it a killer in the book on KO punching.

Illustrations 200 and 201 give further evidence of the effectiveness of the curve left hook.
Like the curve jab, the curve hook is deceptive and dangerous.

Study these pictures... practice them. They can give you an edge in a fight.

You will notice that, in illustration 200. your feet are in position for any possible move...
advance, circle to the left or right, retreat, and give you the leverage to put knockout power
in your blows. The dotted tracer lines mark the routes of two excellent curve hooks (I) to the
left jaw and (2) to the right jaw. You can score clean knockouts with cither of these blows.
But! even if you don't flatten the guy with one of these hooks, you'll daze him and make him
an easy victim for a crushing follow up attack.

Illustration 201 catches the hook as it zooms in to the right side of the boxer's jaw. You
can follow with a right, another left, or a slugging attack. But there's a good chance you'll
bell him out with one punch. I'll teach you the KO power in my book on developing the KO
techniques.

I've knocked out many opponents with the curve left hooks. The target area for the curve
is one of the best spots to land and can produce a knockout easily.

After shaking Primo Camera with a curve hook during a sparring session. Camera was
puzzled. He said, 'That left... good. No see one like it. Faster than any I see in boxing. How
you do it?"

I shrugged. "Ah... just another punch, Primo."

"No boxer know it," he muttered. "Loughran not that good with left. Sharkey? I think no.
You show Primo how punch goes?"

"Don't blow your brains." I advised. "Next time we spar I'll show you how it's done."

"Wish you show me before I fight Louis. I could've lick Joe. Maybe I beat Bacr. too."

Section Four
The Thomas Technique Series

"You're only fifty now," I said, "I'd better not show you the punch... you'll try to make a
comeback."

Camera spewed a stream of Italian curses, "Crazy, 1 no comeback. I want to teach my
son."

"I'll teach it to you for $100."

"Give you $20, Champ."

"Okay. Primo. Tomorrow before we leave town..."

As it turned out I never did give Camera the curve secret. He received an emergency call
to return to Los Angeles and I never worked in the same area with him again.

Illustration 202

Illustration 203

Illustration 202 shows you how to put the curve hook on the left jaw of your opponent.
This is a first cousin to the curve jab I taught you. However, in this punch you can inject
knockout force... literally crush your opponent with it. It differs from the jab mainly because
you twist your body and put all your weight on the blow.

In this book I will devote a great deal of time to the curve hook, mainly because I have
employed it successfully and my students have done equally lis well with it The curve hook is
dangerous to your foe in two ways... the damage it does and the psychological effect it has
on the victim. Psychological'.' Yeah, like it disturbed former world champion Primo Camera.
When the victim starts trying to figure how your trick punch is coming in... he concentrates
so hard on the detective work that he gets careless and makes mistakes.

He gets jittery and falls for any feint you make. If you fake another curve punch, he will
jerk his hands and arms high to block your "secret" weapon. His belly is left wide open for
your KO goodies.

Illustration 203 traces the route to the right jaw. From the stance position you drop the left
glove a Little and then curve in, in an arch to the target. Even if it doesn't knock him cold it
will daze him for a couple of seconds, and it will give you time to follow with a killing right.

How lo Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

I will devole a great deal of lime leaching you lo pu! KO power in these punches. That'll
be in my KO power book. And in every picture throughout this series, I want to stress the
importance of stance. Notice your feet and '"guard" in each picture. The stonewall guard is
designed to give you a "fortress type" defense. And it is as close to perfection as possible. Do
not let your opponent feint you out of the stonewall. I will explain why in my book on strat-

lllustration 204

Illustration 205

The Illustrations 204-205 combination has netted me more KOs than any other two
punches. Each blow is a real knockout wallop. Both of them together will almost certainly
stop the toughest rock-jawed opponent.

In Illustration 204 vou ease inside his left lead. I have lost count of the ribs I've broken
with this punch but I'd guess the figure is more than fifty. Once I broke a couple of ribs and
one of them stabbed an inch or two out of his back. You sec, on this right it is easy to time
your opponent coming toward you. So yoti have your tremendous power plus his forward
lunge momentum. Your punch is like a car crashing into a brick wall at 100 miles per hour.
With his bodv weight lunging toward you it makes it double... or 200 miles per hour.

Notice how^ you've shifted your left foot to the left and slightly forward, pivoted your right
foot, and twisted your body into the punch, and are pushing off your right foot with all your
strength, and have executed the moves with speed and precision. Add all the moves you've
made to his forward lunge... and you are a cinch knockout winner.

But. just in case he doesn't go down from this big right hand crusher, you have your left
cocked and are ready to follow with a super hook. It's a real killer. It will destroy the target
like an H-bomb. The doited line points the way or possible route of the hook. It zooms to the
target with the speed of a bullet and explodes like a bomb.

Sec! ion Four
The Thomas Technique Series

In Illustration 205 the solid line and the bottom dolled line trace the hook to the jaw target.
The dotted line from your bcltlinc to the X on his belly is an alternate target. A straight left or
a hook to the middle can destroy the guy.

Notice how you've come down solidly on your right foot (to give you balance), pivoted on
your left foot and twisted your body to put more power on the punch.

And you wan! to follow through with the punch as if you intend to blast his head over the
turnbuckle and send it to the arena wall.

Practice this punch until you perfect it. Get a spar mate to fire left hooks at you, and slip
inside his left with your right to the body. As your right hits his body, you determine in a
100th of a second if you will try for the hook In his head or body. If his hand is blocking a
clear route to his jaw, you might figure your best bet is to go for his body. Nine times out of
ten, though, when your hard left shoots to his body, he will lean forward and lower his hands
a Little. It gives you an open route to his jaw.

Of course, when working with a spar nunc, go at it slowly. When you get the feci of it you
can start on the heavy bag. Imagine the bag is a body. Execute the Illustration 204 move as
shown, then follow with the hook as shown in Illustration 205.

Illustration 206

Illustration 207

Illustration 206 demonstrates one of my all-time favorites. It's a sort of double punch... a
ramming straight left to the solar plexus and a crushing hook to the jaw. I have knocked out
many boxers with this combination. It is a punch easy to learn and easy to use. I don't say
you can land it all the lime... but you can most of the time.

You start with a powerful straight left to the solar plexus. Keep your right glove up to pro-
tect from a countering left. And also hold your left shoulder in the stonewall so that it will
ward off any right hand shots he might try. Even if he hits you on top of the head, it can't do
a tenth of the damage your body punch has done. In fact, the power you've put into the left
will knock him off balance. He won't be able to fire a blow with any amount of authority.

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

After you feel your left bury in his belly you can pull il back about six inches, then curve it
in a big hook to his jaw as dotted lines indicate.

A lot of times, in a strategic move, you can feint as if you're launching an attack to the
body, stop the punch about six inches short, change it to a hook and blast your opponent into
next year. Your feint pulled his guard down, leaving him open for your KO drops.

Illustration 207 displays another snappy left hook ! have used successfully. In fact. I gave a
hint of the punch in my book How to Create A Super Boxer in the description of a perfect
clinch. Like you tie up the guy in a clinch, turn him away from you, then blast him with a
hook to the mouth, jaw, nose, eyes, or in the guts. You can't miss. I must warn you, though,
now and again a referee will warn you for holding and hitting.

Illustration 206

Illustration 209

Illustrations 208-209 present the curve hook and. as you can see. the punch is almost a
completely stiff-arm punch. The pictures also exhibit your professional form. In Illustration
208 the dotted lines shown give the reason this punch is so deceptive and difficult for a boxer
10 figure out. Both versions of this punch get their start from the same launching pad. The
opposing boxer can't see which way it's coming at him. In circle 1 it zooms to the right jaw
and in circle 2 it's going to the left jaw.

Illustration 209 catches the hook landing on the left jaw. From the point just above his
shoulder where the punch starts to curve, you can put enormous power on the blow. And.
since it's landing on a vita! spot, it can scramble the guy's brain. It's somewhat like hitting a
guy with a club.

Notice, and I like to keep reminding you of it, how your feet and stance are perfect. You
are in control of the action. You arc the master of the fight, if the guy tries to rush you, you
can counter any of his moves, tie him up or move away from his rush. It's as easy as taking
candy from a baby.

Section Four
The Thomas Technique Series

Practice these punches on the heavy bag, in shadowboxing sessions, during roadwork at
the park, even in your home. Smooth the punches until they become a big part of you. When
you have them down pretty slick you should try them in sparring sessions. It won't be too
long until you're an expert in the use of Ihese blows and can use them without thinking about
it. And after you complete this Thomas Technique scries, you will be an expert in the use of
anything boxing.

Illustration 210

Illustration 211

In Illustration 210 you have dropped your right down to give viewers a clear view of a
pretty good hook. This hook is a little wide to call a curve, but I still put it in the curve-hook
class. You can whip it under or over a lead right (as shown in this illustration). It started from
near the X on your chest and zoomed out and over his right. It landed as a long-distance
hook and kept you out of range of his following blows.

Notice how your chin is down behind your protecting left shoulder. You should always
keep your chin tucked down behind your shoulder, regardless of the type of punch you are
shooting. And don't let your right fall low as it is in this picture.

There are other left hooks and I'm sure that you will develop a personal way of using a left
hook. You should perfect all these hooks and experiment with new ways to hook. Practice in
the gym until you can use a new punch with professionalism, and then try it in real fight situa-
tions.

Illustration 21 1 demonstrates a hook you sec around the amateur gyms. It's a good hook,
as is any punch you can land and hurt the opponent, and it's the only hook many amateur
coaches teach. I brush over this hook real fast because I don't think it has the flexibility to
make it as effective as the other hooks I have presented in this book.

If you use this hook and find it is good for you. don't kick it aside. Continue to use it, but
also give the other hooks a chance. You'll soon switch to the more professional type hooks
presented herein.

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

illustration 212 is copied from a photo I borrowed from How to Creole a Super Boxer.
The boxer on the left has shot his left jab. The boxer on the right has slipped the punch and
landed a right cross. What does this have to do with left hooks? Well, I present this picture to
show you a number of openings for the left hook.

Illustration 212

The dotted lines in Illustration 212 show the routes for a left hook. In fact, the boxer on
the right can fire a straight left or an assortment of hooks. This type of situation crops up in
every round of every fight.

This is similar to the situation I presented in an earlier picture in this section (Illustration
204). The man on the right can follow his good right with an assortment of left hooks.

Study all the lessons in this book. Work on them and hone them to a point of perfection.
Make (he left hook link as strong as the best link in your boxing chain of perfection.

The next two links in your perfect chain of boxing will be Knockout Punching and Supe-
rior Strategy. When you have gone the entire route, you'll have no equal in pugilism. You
can be a great boxer, a super coach, or anything you want to be in boxing.

YOU'LL BE THE BEST ... A *TT" GRADUATE!!!

Section Four
The Thomas Technique Series

How to Develop Boxing's

Best Knockout Punch

(and Crush All Your Ring Opponents)

A knockout punch generates more interest than any clement of boxing. Fancy boxers are
classy and have large followings. and there is a great deal to say about all styles in boxing.
But a KO puncher captures and fires the imagination of all sports fans and the people in box-
ing.

And the bottom line is: ANYBODY CAN BE A KNOCKOUT PUNCHER! YOU CAN BE
A KNOCKOUT PUNCHER.'!.'

Jack Dcmpsey's knockout punch drew the first million-dollar gate: Dcmpsey could take a
man out with either hand. He was a vicious animal in action... just what fight fans want to
see. Brutality is the name of the boxing game.

Dempsey's knockout punch increased interest in the boxing business. Dempsey's big punch
overshadowed popular boxers like Tunncy and Carpenticr. When Jack Dcmpsey answered
the bell for action, the fans sat on the edge of their seats. They knew that any second a bomb
could fall and end it all.

All KO punchers are popular. The fans want to see a fighter blasted unconscious. They pay
big money to see it. But most of the time they have to be content watching a pair of "arm
punchers" slapping at each other for ten rounds.

How often do you hear someone remark that a boxer is uninteresting because he can't
punch? One sportswriter devoted a fall column to a certain boxer. The columnist called the
boxer "one of the nicest guys in the world." but killed the boxer as a drawing card by saying:
"He's loo nice to be in boxing. He has plenty of desire, but lacks the power to knock a hat off
his grandmother's head. If you want to sec a lot of pattycake punches, Billy will please you."

The writer was telling it the way it was.... but it didn't have to be that way. Billy could've
developed a crushing knockout punch. Unfortunately, his trainer was a dunce, and this book
hadn't been written. Billy was a victim of ignorance.

A beginner at anything is ignorant until he learns his trade. But most of the time a beginner
is starting in a business in which the boss or teacher knows the best way to get the job done.
Boxing is, and I'm repeating myself, a field in which any dunce can say he's great and get
away with it. A lot of books have been written praising individuals for bluffing their way
through life. The bluffer probably didn't hurt or destroy anyone as he pulled the wool over
the eyes of those he was fooling. In boxing, though, it is another story.

The conman can and usually does ruin the career of many potential great boxers. And 1
consider any man a misfit if he does not teach his boxer to punch with knockout authority.
He is cheating his students out of success in boxing if he does not teach them how to punch
with knockout force.

Power punching is a link in the chain of boxing ability. It is. like all the links, important. All
the links in the boxing chain must be perfectly developed. And you arc giving yourself a big

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

break by and starting right by learning the message I give in my books. And since this small
book teaches knockout punching, you have an important message here.

The learning process is easy if you have the desire and arc doing it right. Well. I'll give it to
you right, and I hope you have the necessary desire.

Recently 1 heard a trainer telling about a boxer that was a good puncher with one hand, but
could not hit hard enough to knock your hat off with the other hand. I didn't offer the trainer
any advice because 1 figured he should know how to leach the guy how to punch with his
other hand. A guy who says that a puncher is born... is nuts. I can teach a girl to be a killing
puncher; I can take the arm punchers and make knockout punchers out of them... if they will
do as I say.

I've heard dozens of versions of what makes one man a KO artist, and another one a pow-
der puff hitter. And many parrot trainers subscribe to the born puncher theory. I say bull crap.
No one is born anything except a helpless baby. We all know just how helpless a baby is. One
baby may have the brains to learn faster than another, but they all have to acquire their skills.
And they do that via the learning process.

Too often in boxing, as in other things, when one thing becomes difficult, the beginner of-
ten discards it and looks for something easier. But that will not work in boxing. You see, you
leave a weak link in that ability chain. So rememher. learn everything to a point of perfection.
Everything won't come easy.

The Thomas Technique is often difficult for many boxers. 1 like to compare it with street
talk and a tough college course. Street talk is easy to learn, but it's doubtful if that talk will
help you in the battle of life. On the other hand, a college course may be very difficult for
you, but the knowledge can benefit you throughout your lifetime. Well, take my stonewall
defense stance... it's hard to learn, but it will benefit you throughout your boxing career. In
learning many of the other stances, some of which you see on television, arc real easy to
learn. They often amount to little more than standing in a weak drunken slouch, raising your
hands up to cover your face, and trying to look like you know it all.

The drunken slouch stance is like street talk: it won't help you a bit. On the other hand, the
stonewall stance and the Thomas Technique can add up to the expertise to cam you millions.

Don't let what seems to be difficult slow you a little bit. Before we go into the power-
punching I'd like to tell you about Rodney. He was awkward and as clumsy as could be. The
other students laughed when he couldn't seem to learn.

After one lesson I gave him a strong pep talk and told him how he could learn it all. Work,
work, work, and more work. I went through the baby part of the process. And I told him he
could practice it at his home... anywhere.

Rodney didn't show up for a month or more. I figured he had decided boxing wasn't for
him. Then one day he came back. And when he got in the ring to box with one of my best
students, the others stopped to watch. And this time... Rodney was my best student. He was
doing everything almost perfectly.

"Gosh." one of the guys soid. "What happened?"

'That's easy." I said. "Rodney's done his homework. He's practiced each of my lessons a
hundred or more times since he left here."

Section Four
The Thomas Technique Series

Rodney grinned. "A hundred times? It's more like a thousand times. Champ." He turned to
my former A-onc student and said: "Ready for another round?"

A-one whined to me, "Champ, put Eddie in with Rod. He's too good for me. Guess I'm
gonna have to study more."

Work and practice had made the difference. Rodney had sweated and worked... but it paid
off for him. He is now a world class professional. Anyone could duplicate what Rodney did,
but they won't. You know why? They won't devote the time.

Even if things come easy for you be sure and work enough to make it perfect. Don't settle
for fair. Go for the best, ihcn if you meet someone better.... work like hell to regain your po-
sition at the top.

YOU CAN POSSESS A KNOCKOUT PUNCH IN BOTH HANDS!!!

Illustration 213 is my stonewall defense stance. And I warn you to remember that from this
position it is easy to do anything in boxing. First off, you are in a natural defense. More im-
portant, though, it is easy for you to attack, defend, retreat, circle, and advance. Still more
important... you can fire a killing punch with either hand. You can flick a lightning left, or
ram a power left through a brick wall. You arc set for a crushing hook. And. though your
right is high, you can develop a crushing KO punch from that position.

Illustration 213

Illustration 214

Practice getting your left to the target as fast as you can... from this stance. Try for speed,
getting faster and faster. Then practice ramming the left in as hard as you can. The right...
step in and to your left with your left foot and, at the same time, pivot your right foot and
twist your body into your punch.

Illustration 214 is a good exercise to practice in getting your entire body power and leg
push into your blows. I will call the boxer in the black trunks YOU. Notice how the power is
coming off your right foot, up your leg and through your body. Also notice that your feet are
far enough apart to give you the required leverage.

.

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

Illustration 215 is another shot of the same exercise. It has you and your opponent dug in
with all your power. Illustrations 214 and 215 are good exercises to develop punching power.
Ask a spar mate or friend to work it with you. I will present better exercises later in this book
to aid your punching, but this is one you ought to start on and continue to practice.

Illustration 216 is the Thomas Technique method of developing punching power. The
power I've developed in this manner has drawn praise from my opponents and from the rec-
ognized greats in the business. Tunney said that I could put more power, pound for pound in
my punches than any fighter in the world.

Notice how vour feet are spread to give you power and leverage, how your entire body is
on the blow. I want vou to pay special attention to how the power of your body goes from
your right foot up through your body and down your left arm. This punch has shot out from
the stance seen in Illustration 213. The other man has his feet dug in but you arc pushing him
back and you can hold off a much heavier foe with this powerful shot. You can break ribs,
noses, chins, and send the guy flat on his butt with this powerhouse left.

Illustration 215 Illustration dw

Illustration 217 gives an example of how this punch can work for you. In this particular
scene 1 put a mitt under my T-shirt on my chest and literally ran forward. ! instructed the
other guy to ram his punch to my padded chest with all the force and leverage I had taught
him.

I would never make a sucker move like this in a real tight. But you will be surprised at the
guys in boxing and in street fights who will run at you and attempt to overwhelm you. When
they do... you can put them down, and in many cases, out.

Section Four
The Thomas Technique Series

Illustration 217

Illustration 218

There are many ways to practice this punch. You can develop awesome power... power to
destroy by employing this method. Practice holding a man as you arc doing in Illustration
215. Practice pushing on a wall,

I've pushed automobiles, trucks, and once held five men behind the bag as shown in Illus-
tration 216. As you feel the power increasing, your confidence will grow and you will be-
come aware of your awesome strength.

This pushing increases your leverage and power, of course. Though, you must have speed
to make it all work: for you. You may have the pushing power to push a tree down, but you'll
need thrusting speed to make it all work for you. Example: A push alone, regardless of the
power you put into it, will do little more than shove the target. Like a bulldozer easing up to
a stalled car and gently pushing it a few feet. But if that same bulldozer were to speed up to
100 mph. and hit the car... that car would be blasted hundreds of feet away and wouldn't
look like a car. But if a motorbike were to hit that same cur, the car might not suffer more
than a small dent or two.

So, to get the most out of your punch, you combine the bulldozer push and the 100 mph
speed to make your awesome punch work for you. And to m;ikc the punch a real killer, you
want to time your opponent coming at you... when you hit him. Thus, your punch resembles
a bulldozer speeding at a 100 mph, and hitting (head-on) a car coming at 100 mph.

When you learn this awesome punch and get the feel of liming down perfectly, your
punches will have twofold knockout power.

You can learn the timing by having a spar mate work with you. Let him try a slow left jab,
and slip under it with a right to his side or jaw. Gradually increase the speed until you can slip
inside any punch.

Illustration 218 demonstrates the molding of a right hand killer. Notice how you've moved
in to the left with your left foot and are letting it rest flat on the floor. Your right foot has
pivoted and you are pushing off your toe. You've also twisted your body into the punch.

When practicing these punches, twist your body and push off your foot as hard as you can.
Try to push the target (wall, car, or whatever) out of the picture.

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

Pay special attention to your feet in all the pushing exercises. The feet arc always in stone-
wall position.

Illustration 219 teaches you how to develop left hooking power. The power in this punch
comes off your left foot. Notice how you have pivoted on the left foot, and twisted your en-
tire body into the blow. Literally, you are trying lo push the wail lo the far end of the room.
Your right foot has come down flat but is resting lightly on the floor. This helps you keep
perfect balance.

Illustration 219

Illustration 220

All your punches except a left hook and a left uppercut come off your right foot. The left
hook and left uppercut derive their power from the left fool and body twist to your right.

When practicing on the stationary object, bring all your pushing power into play. Then
when you try the same thing on a heavy bug, add lightning speed to the punching move.
Then, of course, try to time your opponent and catch him coming into the punch. It will
guarantee you a knockout victory.

There are many training techniques to improve the knockout punch. Do not lapse into a
push puncher. It is easy to forget speed. DON'T! After each session of power-pushing, do the
same exercise in top speed. You can do it on a hand mitt, shadowboxing, or on the heavy
hag.

FoUow through with your punches. Compare your punches with a baseball player batting
or a golfer. When a baseball player bunts he can't knock a home run. When a golfer putts, he
went send the ball more than a few feet. A home run baseball hitler must put his heaviest
swing on the bat if he intends to send the ball over the fence. And a golfer, waiting to knock
the ball three hundred yards down the fairway, has got to swing fully and follow through.

It's the same in boxing. Try to knock your adversary over the ropes and out of the arena.
When you hii him with a left hook, try to pull his head off his shoulders and send it high into

Section Four
The Thomas Technique Series

the balcony. When you hit him with a right, attempt to put Ihc right straight through his belly
and break his backbone.

Illustration 220 gives a good example of the follow- through on a left hook. The picture
demonstrates the developing of a powerful left hook. The dotted line traces the route of your
follow-through. Everything is perfect. You have pivoted on your left foot and are twisting
your body with the punch. Whatever you hit, you want to send it into orbit... following the
route indicated by the dotted line.

Illustration 221 demonstrates a powerful overhand right.

The solid line traces the route of your power. The arrow points the route of your over and
downward follow-through. You are trying to drive the target down to the Boor. The target in
this case is a bag, which has been designed for uppcrcuts. Although I don't show it here, an
uppercut would land at the point of the arrow and drive upward to where the glo\e is. And.
though most trainers will tell you to move in close before you tr. an uppercut. don't believe
it. A perfect uppercut can be fired from ihc stonewall and you will he in about the same posi-
tion you're in Illustration 22 i. The only difference is that your follow-through will go upward
instead of downward.

An uppercut can be fired from long distance and with more authority than an in-close up-
percut. A good exercise to prove my type of uppercut over the one taught by most trainers is
to move in close, with your feet parallel like when you're having a bowel movement in the
country. Then have a spar mate give you a light shove. You'll see how easy you go off bal-
ance and fall on your butt. You can also see that you cannot put ten pounds of leverage on an
uppercut to any portion of your opponent's body.

Illustration 222 demonstrates a powerful left hook in the making. The boxer with his back
to the camera is holding a medicine ball. The boxer facing the camera is putting all his power
on a practice left hook in an effort to force the other man to give ground.

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

This big push, plus flashing speed, plus timing in landing the punch, produces a cinch
knockout The solid lines trace how the power is injected into the punch. The line up the
thigh to the shoulder gives the source of power from the twisting body. The line from the toe
to the fist, also spots an important source of power. Practice this scene exactly as it 15 pre-
sented here It wUl give you information you need to perfect this punch.

Illustration 211 is another view of the Illustration 222 exercise. It shows how you can prac-
tice this important punch at home... or anywhere. In both Illustration 222 and 223. the power
of the blow comes off the left foot. Notice how the right foot is flat to give you balance.

In Illustration 224 ihc boxer is practicing a straight left. The power in this punch comes off
the right foot The left foot is touching the floor but has no weight on it. The power or.gi-
natesfrom the right and goes up through his body and down his left arm to the target. The
power is from the right foot to the fist (dotted line).

Illustration 223

Illustration 224

These pictures were borrowed from Hon- » Crsofe A Super Boxer and should be practiced
until they become part of your punching style. You should also practice speed until ,1 works
smoothly with the big push. How do you do that? Well, lefs take Illustration 223. After
praeticin. it for a minute or two go back to your stonewall defense stance as shown tn
Illustration 213. Then you lire the same type hook as in Illustration 223 but at an easy
target like a dangling string or a dangling tree leaf, and follow-through. Put all the relaxed
soe'ed and follow-through you can muster. Try to put the target straight out the way your
,,»ht toe ,s pointing in Illustrations 225-226-227. Before too long you'll be able to stop all
your opponents with this punch. The power will surprise you and completely overwhelm your
opponent.

Section Four
The Thomas Technique Series

k

Now you know the secret of developing power and injecting
it into your punches. You will want to put power on every
blow and you can do it.

In Illustrations 225-226-227 I present what my students have
dubbed "The Thomas Shift." The footprints give a secret I ha-
ven't disclosed in any of my other books. This shift will allow
you to put all your body weight, all your thrusting speed, and
all the power of your twisting body in your punches. As a mat-
ter of fact, this shift can add more than a hundred percent to
your already awesome punching power.

The footprints in Illustration 225 are approximately the way
you'll be standing in the natural stonewall stance. Illustration
226 shows the way you should shift your feet to gain power.
The left foot will be flat on the floor, and you will be pushing
off your rear (right) foot. Your right foot will be up on the ball
or the darkened portion of the footprint.

Illustration 227 shows how the shift will work for you in a
follow-up left hook. From the 226 position it is easy to shift to
227. Your right foot comes down flat and you pivot on your
left foot, coming up on the ball of the foot (dark portion).

A good exercise in practicing this shift is to switch from Il-
lustration 226 to Illustration 227, then back and forth with a
relaxed rhythm. As you shift on your feet you fire punches si-
multaneously. In Illustration 226 you shoot a hard right. In Il-
lustration 227 you follow with a hard left hook. Then back and
forth as if you're skipping a rope. And, actually, with a little
practice you will be doing it as easily as skipping rope.

You don't need to shift your feet as you did in the original
shift. You merely pick up a rhythm and. when your right shoots
out, your left foot is flat (as shown in Illustration 226) and your
right foot is up on the ball. When your left hook goes, your
feet pivot back as shown in Illustration 227. Then you can just *222^j$*

stand there and punch with power and rhythm... always holding
a solid balance and putting your body on all the punches.

Recently I told a student that I was a body puncher, and he
indicated that he, too, liked to go for the body. Then I ex-
plained to him that I meant body punching to me meant putting
my "body" on every one of my punches. I had to do a little ex-
plaining before he grasped the picture.

After you read this book and don't feel that you have learned anything, read it again. The
message is here and you must study it until you learn and perfect every move. If you do it
right... you will be able to score knockouts as easy as most fighters hit with feeble arm
punches.

Illustration 225

Illustration 226

Illustration 227

How lo Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

Ring Strategy

Illustrations 228 and 229 give two examples of my Stonewall defensive stance. Illustration
228 is the stance I have used constantly since the day more than fifty years ago when I em-
ployed it to beat Tuffy,

Illustration 229 is the stand-up stonewall. When you've perfected this stance you can, by
shifting your feet in solid footwork, siep around your foe and make him dance to your music.
Your left can flick out so fast that the other guy can't see it coming. It can ram out so hard
that it can knock him cold. You can drop your right off your forehead with all the power of
your body behind it.

In Illustration 229 notice that you can see your adversary with both eyes. Your right eye is
sighting over your right ihumb and your left eye is sighting out past your left shoulder. I point
this out because so many beginners have trouble seeing when they try the stonewall defense.
They put their hand up in front of their face, blocking their vision. So immediately they de-
cide the stonewall is impossible.

*=&*

Illustration 228

Illustration 229

Illustration 230 shows one move to make the stonewall a winner for you. You have pulled
out of range of his long left. Notice that your feet are set solidly, and your defense is perfect.
The dotted line gives one example of how you can bring strategy into play. You snap your
left up along the dotted line, with the punching side of your glove up about where the X is.
This knocks his fist away from you and twists him away from you. You are set on your feet
and can tire a right to his left side, his belly, or his ear. And it is possible to end the fight with
any of these KO punches.

Section Four
The Thomas Technique Series

I constantly preach solid footwork and this is a very good example of why your feet should
always be set. Example: If, in this situation, your fee. were tangled vou wouldn't be able to
punch hard enough to knock the sweat off his face.

This maneuver isn't the only "good thing" you can do in this situation. You could'™
blocked his lead left with your right hand, and crushed his uosc with a powerful countering
left of your own. You could've shifted to your left and broke his ribs with a power right or
to your right and landed a crushing left. '

Illustration 230

Illustration 231

Illustration 231 is an excellent example of shifting to your right and landing a left hook to
the body. See how your right foot has moved to your right and vou have pivoted on your left
foot to put power on this counter blow. And the beauty of this clever sidestep is that vou're
in position to end the tight with the right bomb to his jaw. This maneuver and punch has won
many fights for me.

Illustration 232 demonstrates the right to the body. You haie stepped forward and to your
left with your left foot, ducked your body to the left and pivoted up on vour right foot. 'And
also important... you've timed him coming to you.

What does this have to do with strategy? Well, you have seen him setting for the left You
might have deliberately given him what appeared to be ah opening for The left When he
stabbed with the left... you were ready for him. In other words, vou" made him do what you
wanted him to do.

Either of these moves can net you a knockout. If I were to set down the number of KOs
I've registered with each of these punches, it'd take more pages than I have in this entire se-
ries. They are KO punches and you can make them work for you.

The foot position in Illustration 23 1 can be used successfully to sidestep; to cut down the
ring on a guy who's trying to run away; to gel yourself out of many tough situations; and
many strategic maneuvers.

How to Be An Ass- Whipping Boxer

Illustration 232

Illustration 233

Illustration 233 shows a maneuver I use often. It is pure strategy. First, I put a light feeler
or touching punch lo his belly or chin. {I will explain this a bit later in this book.) I do this de-
liberately to draw his right counter. There are many ways to counter when he tries his right
counter shot.

Before I go into all the possible counters 1 want to elaborate on Illustration 233. Notice the
feet. They are in perfect position so you can fire a number of counter punches. You can re-
treat, sidestep, advance, until he makes the mistake you want him l'o make. Wham! you
knock him cold with a straight right, a powerful straight left, a left hook, an overhand right,
or any punch you choose. You see, you possess unbelievable KO power and you are learning
the strategy to make a fighter dance to your tunc.

In carnival bouts I cold-cocked five hundred guys and 1 got most of them from the Illustra-
tion 233 position. It's a variation of the stance I present in Illustration 228 in this section.

Once I was boxing a big cx-football star who had a thousand friends in the community. He
weighed about 240 pounds but wasn't in fighting condition. He had been goaded into boxing
me by his buddies who thought he was unbeatable.

He came out of his corner with his hands held high like he'd seen the TV boxers do. His
belly was hanging out like a heavyweight punching bag. I put a left on his belly, trying to
draw his counter. When I put my light left to his belly, he sort of cringed. So I shot a piledriv-
ing straight left to his belly, and the fist buried wrist deep in his fat.

He fell forward and puked all over me. He had been drinking strawberry soda pop and it all
came out on me and made me so mad that I could' vc killed him. But he fell and rolled in ag-
ony.

Illustration 234 demonstrates a good punch you can use out of the Illustration 233 posi-
tion. And, of course, you can go with many other shots. I'll give several examples in the fol-
lowing pictures.

Sea ion Four
The Thomas Technique Series

Illustration 234

Illustration 235

Ranting is a very important pari of strategy. You can fake an attack and study his reaction
It he docs the same thing every time you fire a certain punch, you can fake that punch, then
tire a KO counter. It will, in most cases, send him to KO land.

Strategy is easy to master. You've got to be a cool and confident boxer... somewhat like a
bullfighter. Example: If you (lick a left to his belly and he tries to kill you with a ri-ht you
know he will do the same thing the next time you fry a left to his body. So you fake a left to
his gut, but you have set yourself to pull away from his right counter. When hi, right zooms
toward your head, you can pull away and make him miss. But you just don't want to make
htm nuss... you want to take advantage of his mistake. You do. as he flounders if only for a
split second, land the big punch and knock him colder than an Alaskan iceberg

Illustration 236

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

Illustrations 235 and 236 give examples of countering one of his right counters. You have
flicked his belly and he tries to blast you with a countering right. This is a strategic move on
your part. You see, you have already determined that he will go for your head if you shoot at
his belly. So you put your left out in a decoy attack. When he tries to decapitate you with his
right, you are set for him.

In Illustration 235 his right comes shooting at... what he thinks is an easy target, but you
are prepared. Actually, you have set him up. So you pull back, a bit like in Illustration 233.
You bring your left up in a parrying move and pull his left forward and to the outside. Simul-
taneously you are shifting your feet and body and rocketing your right to his jaw. The knock-
out punch lands in Illustration 236.

Notice how, in Illustration 235 your left hand grasps his right wrist and starts pulling it
down and out to the left. And, in Illustration 236, how the right is on its way out when your
punch lands to his jaw. You can see your fist and his fist under your right elbow. His fist is at
the bottom X.

You will also notice that your left foot has moved over to your left and your right foot has
pivoted up on the toe, and your body has twisted and put all your body in the blow. Since he
is lunging toward you ... this blow is a real killer.

These maneuvers take a lot of practice. But you won't have too much trouble getting
someone to practice it with you. Square off with the spar mate. Ask him to hold his hands in
the "'hands high belly open" style. You work out of the stonewall. Reach out and barely touch
his belly. Ask him to, when your glove touches him. send a straight right in slow motion to
your head. As his right comes toward your head, you pull back slightly. At the same time,
your left hand, which is touching his body, drops down a few inches and sort of out and up to
your left. It comes up a little to the right of his right. Then in a parrying, pulling move, you
pull and brush his right out to your left and away from your body. At t)ie same time, you
shoot a right (easy) to his chin.

Practice this a hundred, a thousand times, or until you get it right. Gradually, as you prac-
tice, increase your speed until you can make it work against the fastest punches of an oppo-
nent.

Your opponents, each of them, will have pet things they like to do. As you feel out the guy
you will see what he likes. So you make him think he has you falling for his pet maneuvers.
You fake (feint) the move he wants you to make. When he tries to counter, you arc ready and
counter his move. In other words, you sucker him and make him dance to your tune.

I like to use a feeler left because most fighters think they can block, parry, or avoid a left. I
especially like to box a guy who parries a left or pushes it aside. When he parries a jab, I let
the parry give my fist the momentum to change into a hook to his open jaw. When he brushes
it aside. I also use his effort to give me momentum.

Illustration 237 shows him brushing my jab aside. My fist had been heading for his mouth.
At the point of the picture I can do several things. I can step away. And, if he tries to counter
with his cocked left, I can step over with my left foot (sec X) and heat his left by putting a
hard right to his jaw. I can also use a snappy left hook by following the lines. I drop my left
from the momentum his brush away has given me, then I follow the dotted lines to his jaw.

Section Four
The Thomas Technique Series

Illustration 238 shows him moving under a left lead and landing a right 10 the body. When I
fight a guy like this it is always a pleasure. When I learn thai he wants my body and likes lo
take it when I fire a left jab, I know I'll get him. So, the thing to do is fake a hard left, and
give him an opportunity to go for a rib breaker. You can brush it aside as shown in Illustra-
tion 236, and counter with a right of your own. You can pull away and try to catch him off
balance and cold-cock him. If he is slow he will usually go off balance (just enough to make it
easy for you) and you can land one of your knockout bombs on him. He will probably be
open for any KO punch you want lo use.

Illustration 238

Illustration 239

In Illustration 239 you have landed a long curve hook and it discloses something you want
to watch for. I have learned that many good lighters arc guilty of closing their eyes when you
hit them. Notice that this man has closed his eyes Lifter taking this long hook. The dotted lines
trace the route to an easy target. You're almost a cinch to land because his eyes are closed
and he can't see to block your move. And, if he swings blindly, you can give him a dose of
KO medicine.

You will find many boxers who will blink when a punch comes close. When you fight a guy
like that it is an easy victory for you. And one thing you want to do is make sure you don't
blink.

If you have this problem, train your self out of it. Start by tapping yourself with a light but
very fast slap to the forehead above your eyes. When you can slap your own fingers to your
forehead without blinking, have a spar mate do the same to you. After a little while you'll rid
yourself of the blinking habit.

In Illustration 240 I present another shot of you pulling away a right lead. There aren'i too
many real smart fighters out there, but occasionally you will meet one. He will be trying to
work strategy as you arc. Like in Illustration 240... he may fake one of his hard rights to get
you to react as shown. He will then attempt to counter your move with one of his shots...

How lo Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

possibly a left to your face or body. If he docs try something like that, don't you worry. He
can't get away with it more than once. When he tries it again, counter his counter. Even set a
trap for him.

Strategy is fun, even if you meet a guy who likes lo do the same thing. It becomes a war of
strategy and skill. This doesn't happen too often, though. There aren't many guys who use
strategy. The parrot trainers don't understand strategy. And the average boxer is a guy who
thinks boxing is two men punching... and that's all there is to it.

Illustration 241 is my favorite. It's the feeler I've been telling you about. In Navy, carnival,
and regular pro-fights, I've set up hundreds of boxers with this maneuver. I put the left out as
if in a hard or vicious punch. Actually, though, it's like a feather duster but it fools the oppo-
nent. He will rush you and try to crush you. And all you need do is move away very fast and,
as the guy punches the air, you can put him on ice with a knockout punch.

Illustration 240

Illustration 241

Practice this until you can get away from one of the fastest reflex guys. I've seen guys who
could hit you with a dozen punches in a split second. In carnival bouts. I ran into dozens of
them. The time you got close enough... they exploded. So I used Illustration 241 to set them
up. As I reached out with the touch punch I was ready to move. I would Hick the punch out,
then get out fast. And, while the guy was fanning the air with blows. I picked my spot and
stopped him.

In practicing this... reach out and have your spar mate try to hit you. Start slow and with
easy blows. Pretty soon you'll be able to avoid the rushers and machine gun reflex guys. And
you'll be KOing them.

Illustration 242 shows one of my pullbacks. If he rushes, you can move on back. If he
comes fast, you can move faster. And, since your feet are always in good position lo punch,
you can pick your spots and knock him into next week.

Section Four
The Thomas Technique Series

The Illustration 242 maneuver works real well on sireet fighting type boxers. Once I fought
in a carnival bout and was rushed all over the ring. Soon 1 started timing him right and tore
one ear off and broke his nose. It is kind of like the bullfighter and the bull. You employ the
left like the matador uses his red flag... and it works about the same. In fact, of all the strate-
gic moves, I like this one the best. It has helped me put more boxers in position to knock
them on their asses.

In Illustration 243 you are in the Stonewall and you don't need to run. You can stand and
out-gun your foe. You have a superior fistic style and you can dictate the terms of the battle.

Most of the "foe pictures" in this scries was by WAA World Champion Oran Butler, and
his feet are in perfect position for his style. Most guys you fight will be clumsy and fall over
their feet, making it a lot easier for you.

Illustration 242

Illustration 243

There are many things that fall into the strategy category. I borrowed Illustrations 243-
244-245-246 from the Stonewall defense book. In Illustration 243 your foe tries a left hook.
You block it and land your own left. In Illustration 244 you follow with a right. In Illustration
245 he lands a right on your head. In Illustration 246. as he recoils and starts a left, you put a
solid left on his jaw. Notice: In all these pictures... your feet and defense is perfect.

Clinching is a good strategic move. When you tie a guy in knots it stops his punches and
upsets his battle plans. You see, he comes out of his corner and is set to do one thing. A
clever tie up will often befuddle him and throw his one track mentality way out of kilter.
Illustrations 247-248-249-250 teach you the best clinch in boxing. 1 learned it in 1933 and
I've used it to befuddle my foes, to escape injury, rest a few seconds, and to win bouts. Learn
it, perfect it and it will help make you king.

It's easy to fail into this super clinch. From an ordinary cover-up or the stonewall your
hands are in close to your body. Your opponent is punching on the outside of your arms. So
you move your body close to him. grab at about his shoulders, and throw all your weight on

How to Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer

him- Keep power on your own arms but slide them down to about where they are in Illustra-
tion 247. Hook your thumb under his arm, as shown, grasp his left arm with your right hand,
and turn him as in Illustration 248. If he braces himself, you can step around him to your
right. With him in your control (Illustration 249) you can cither blast him or push him away
as in Illustration 250.

Well, this completes the -Thomas Technique" and I'm confident you will master ihc style
and become a good champion. If you don't understand any of the lessons, please contact me
and I will try' to solve your problem. You see, I want you to be a champion. And I know the
Thomas Technique will make you the greatest.

Illustration 244

Illustration 246

Illustration 247

Section Four
The Thomas Technique Series

Illustration 250

Afterword

You have just read one of the most comprehensive volumes on boxing technique ever
presented. We hope you have enjoyed reading it as much as we enjoyed putting it together
for you. It was written by a man with more boxing victories than anyone else in the entire
history of boxing. You've got to believe that ihe man knows what he's talking about, but
how many of you readers will truly lake advantage of this information? Champ felt that he
was writing for the "aspiring champions" among us; anybody could read these books, but
only a few would use the information to become a kick-ass boxer.

We hope that you're one of the few that sees the magic in these pages. Not the "three
wishes" kind of magic, where somebody gives you what you want without you having to
work for it, but the kind of magic that wc each have in ourselves, if we're willing to reach
down deep and work hard. If we are dedicated enough to do that. Champ would tell us, we
are already champions.

HOW TO BE AN ASS-WHIPPING BOXER

When Champ Thomas was nearly sixty, he look on twenty chal-
lengers and beat them in less than fifteen minutes. This wasn't
even a light workout for him, he'd say; in his time, he'd taken on a
hundred. After Champ Thomas had defeated the world-famous
Bobo Brazil, an announcer said, 'Thomas has been in the busi-
ness of destroying athletic opponents for more than a quarter of a
century. He's a master performer, an unbeatable showman, a
great promoter and a superior instructor. He's a champion in all ar-
eas o( his profession."

Jay C. "Champ" Thomas has been an icon on the American
boxing scene for decades. His books have been a step-by-step
road map to success for countless boxers, whether they were
beginners, amateurs, professionals or just someone who wanted
to know more about boxing and the art of self-defense.

Champ proved himself to be the most knowledgeable boxing ex-
pert in the world. He won more than twenty local, state, regional,
service and professional championships. Over the years, he
gained superstar status in boxing, in training boxers, in managing boxers and as a promoter. I
addition, he gained the same superstar status in wrestling and boombattle, winning two world
wrestling championships and five world boombattle championships.

Champ himself saw his boxing manuals as a way for aspiring boxers and pros alike to become first-
rate contenders without spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on personal trainers or managers
that may not deliver all that they promise. This volume is actually a compilation of some of Champ's
best work, and provides both an overview of what it takes to win and in-depth instruction in how to do
it. What were originally published as individual manuals are presented as sections of this book,
sections that deal with various aspects of boxing and the art of self-defense. The books are presented
essentially as written, complete wjth introductions written by admirers and former students. They a
also presented in the chronological order in which they were written and, as such, provide interesting
insight to the careful reader as to how Champ's writing skills, along with the refinement of the "Thomas
Technique." developed over the years. A brief editor's note precedes each section, providing an over-
view of what is about to be read, along with the date of publication.

Contents include:

O How to Create a Super Boxer O Boxing's Stonewall Defense

O How to Train and' Condition Boxers O How to Develop Boxing's Best Stance

O How to Develop Boxing's Best Footwork O How to Develop Boxing's Best Left Jab

O How to Develop Boxing's Best Left Hook O How to Develop Boxing's Best Knockout Punch

O How to Develop Boxing's Superior Strategy and Win O And much more.

Have fun with this volume; there's a load of information in here if you follow Champ's advice and
read each section carefully, perhaps more than once. Alter all, his challenge to us is to practice excel-
lence. "I've given perfect examples," he writes. "Now if
your job to surpass the perfection herein."

ISBN 1-55150-205-

Loompanics Unlimited is very proud to present Champ
Thomas' How To Be An Ass-Whipping Boxer. Listen and
pay attention, now... Champ is expecting your best!

9 N 7S1559 N 50205.

9000Q>